Harry Potter and the Binding of Bloods
by Dalakh
Summary: AU: Fifth. Harry thought he could have a normal year at Hogwarts. Well Voldemort and the Ministry of Magic have other ideas.
1. Chapter One: New next door neighbours

Disclaimer: I own nothing, other than all original characters not seen/mentioned in Harry Potter before and the plot. All Harry Potter related things belong to JK Rowling. I am not earning any money from this, nor making a profit. I'm meerly playing in their sandbox because they have nicer toys and no cat poop. C'mon folks, if i DID own it, i wouldn't NEED to write fanfiction, would I? For example, THAT thing that happened in OotP would NEVER have happened.   
Author: Lani  
E-Mail: lanirhys@aol.com  
Authors Notes: Fifth year AU fic, started in Word pre-OoTP, but i've tried to keep some things that i thought were right for this plot consistent (and i am NOT revealing now. i spent too long thinking about it!).  
_

Please R/R! :)  


_   
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
**Chapter One**   
  
_We've seen our share of up's and down's  
Oh, how quickly life can turn around  
in an instant  
Sacrifice, Creed_   
*****   
The Williams and Orion Taylor moved into number six Privet Drive in Surrey, next to their friends of many years, the Dursleys. The Dursleys and the Williams were, for lack of the better words, kindred spirits: they both disliked anything abnormal, they both shuddered to think what they would do if the neighbours thought them to be anything other than exemplary examples of upstanding people, and they both looked down on, well, pretty much everybody and they both were very nice to their bosses, people who could gain them social status and people with more money than themselves.  
Although the dislike of anything abnormal could be true of almost everybody in Privet Drive, that isn't the point. The point is that these two families knew each other -Vernon Dursley and Richard Williams had attended Smeltings together, gone to the same college and were each others best man; their wives, Petunia and Cecilia, were friends through their husbands -they met while each was dating their would-be husbands and had become fast friends (the affinity for noisiness was prominent in both and played a huge factor in their initial impressions).  
However, as was being said, these two families were very much alike, though it's true that, at this time, they didn't know how deep it extended…  
As it was, both were overjoyed when, whilst the Williams were considering moving, number six Privet Drive came up for sale; needless to say, they had their offer in like a shot and, by the beginning of the summer holidays, all aspects of the deal were closed and on the first hot summers day of the holidays, when there wasn't a breeze to be felt or a leaf to be seen to flutter, the Williams moved in.   
  
*****   
  
Harry Potter wasn't your average boy, aside from the black hair that never lay flat, and the lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead, he was a wizard at the best school in the world, or Britain at least: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, currently under the headmastership of Albus Dumbledore.  
There was also the small matter of the worst dark wizard that the magical world had ever seen wanting him dead. Last year, after the final task of the Triwizard Cup, he had used his, Harrys, blood to bring him back to full form and power, and proceeded to torture Harry just because he could. Harry didn't need to be told that he had seen and been through more things than most adult wizards and witches would hopefully never have too.  
He wasn't going to brag about it. Frankly, he'd rather spend the rest of his life forgetting the whole experience, but, as he learned upon returning to the Dursleys for the summer, life went on. It maybe hard and downright painful to do, and sleep may be a hard-to-come-by-quantity, but the world didn't stop for one person, or even a group of people. So Harry was learning how to live through the bad days and crawl through to the good ones.   
  
This summer, like several before, he, the famous Boy-Who-Lived, was locked in the smallest bedroom, his school things hidden away under a loose floorboard, was only allowed out to go to the bathroom twice a day, and his meagre meals came through a cat flap in the door made by Uncle Vernon three years ago. Not the ideal lifestyle, really.   
  
There was an upside to being locked in his room -the Dursleys never spoke to him (were probably afraid they might catch something, he thought idly), unless it was Uncle Vernon coming to yell at him to 'shut the ruddy hell up' or to 'shut that ruddy owl up': the former usually came during the night when the nightmares came and he woke up screaming in a cold sweat, tangled in bed sheets, and the latter when Hedwig wanted to go out, but Uncle Vernon wouldn't pass the key to her cage through the cat flap. Luckily, Harry was able to explain that she'd stop screeching and flapping if she was allowed out.   
  
On one of the first and hottest days of the summer, he'd watched the new family move in next door -they were family friends of the Dursleys and they had a son the same age was Dudley called Joshua. From the few occasions that he had met him, Harry got the idea that though he wasn't nearly as fat as Dudley, nor as mean and punch-happy, he still wasn't a nice person. This meant that Dudley had a new crony to add to his goggle of followers.   
  
Currently, whilst he looked on at the new neighbours, he watched a girl with long, raven black hair pick up a box and carry it inside; he'd never seen her before.  
Then again, the Dursleys were never keen on letting people know he existed -she was probably Joshua's cousin or something, helping them to move their boxes in.   
  
*****   
  
Orion picked up a box labelled 'Kitchen', thinking it was pretty unfair that Joshua got an ice-cream for taking in two boxes, and she got told off for being lazy after carrying in three, when the uncomfortable feeling of being watched trickled through her senses. Looking around she saw nothing, and carried on with the unloading, carefully keeping out of Richard and Cecilia's feet.  
There was only one time that she could afford to get under their feet for even the briefest of seconds, and that was when the social worker, Dan, came over to make sure everything was 'okay', though Orion had never figured out whether that was 'okay' for her, or for the Williams, but nothing ever changed after his visit. She was still the 'stupid Foster Kid' at school and she was still the chewing gum on the bottom of the Joshua's shoe.  
There were several reasons why the Williams and she didn't get on, but there was on fundamental reason that dated back to the early days of their fostering when she was five and had been playing in the front garden, and Mr-Next-Doors-Dog, a beautiful golden retriever, wandered onto the road, straight in-front of an oncoming car. The next thing anybody knew, the dog was back inside Mr-Next-Doors front garden, and Orion was the only one there, so, naturally, it was her fault.  
Richard and Cecilia Williams didn't believe in magic. Orion learned that quickly. Their son never believed in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus or any other sort of nonsense. It was all very stupid and pointless to them.  
They prided themselves on being completely normal, and rather well off, which was why they got on so well with the Dursleys.  
Yes, the one thing they valued over everything else was money. It was this love of it that kept them fostering Orion, because they got paid for doing it, and their reputation within the community was boosted, because they took care of the girl like she was 'a member of their own family'.   
  
Orion believed in magic when she was five, and ten years later she still did, though not in the same sense of the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. She believed that scientific reasoning or method could not explain some things, that they were magical.  
It was this hope that there was something else to life, that kept her going when Richard was yelling at her for not doing the washing properly, or for getting a letter home from school because something weird had happened when she was nearby.  
There was one proud fact that Orion had no trouble telling anybody in doubt, and that was that she was in no way, shape, form or marriage in which she was related to the Williams -she didn't even have the same last name.  
The people at the orphanage had given her the last name of Taylor; her mother had given her first name to her before she died, but that wasn't the only difference. While she had straight, black hair that came past her elbows, all of the Williams had varying degrees of blonde hair. One of her eyes was blue, the other brown, Richard and Joshua had grey eyes, and Cecilia had hazel green eyes, they had olive skin and she had pale skin.  
  
The next morning, when all the boxes had long since been bought in, and the beds placed in the right bedrooms, Orion was sitting at the table, eating breakfast and being ignored while the Williams talked amongst themselves about going on a trip to London next week. The silent treatment lasted until the post came, at which point Richard looked up from the conversation,  
"Get the post, Orion."   
  
"Why should I?" she wasn't in the mood to be ordered about today: she hadn't slept well the night before and was hungry -Joshua had eaten the last of the Cornflakes, and there hadn't been a chance to get any more food since they moved in, so she was stuck with a bowl of milk. It felt eerily like being a cat.   
  
He glared at her, "Because I said so -now go get the post."  
Returning the glare, she rose from the table anyway -milk wasn't very fulfilling.  
On the floor in the hallway were seven letters, flicking through them, as she did every time she was made to go and get them, she found nothing immediately riveting. Not even a postcard that she could read on the return journey.  
"Junk, junk, junk, Welcome To Your New Home, junk, wrong address… hey," she paused: the last letter was addressed to her. In person. Without even bothering to look at it properly, she stuffed it into one of the pockets of her combat trousers and grinned to herself. This was the first letter she'd ever received -call her selfish, but she wasn't about to let the Williams spoil it! Wiping the happy expression from her face, she walked steadily back into the kitchen, pushed the letters in front of Richard, cleared away her bowl of milk and ran upstairs before anybody could say a word.  
Inside her bedroom, which contained only a bed and two boxes, (which, in relation to Joshua's bed, six boxes and two duffels, was not a lot for a fifteen year old girl), she barricaded the door with the nearest, moveable, box and flopped onto her bed, examining her new treasure closely.  
It wasn't made from paper, that was for sure; it felt thicker and was yellowed -it was parchment. What kind of person used parchment nowadays? The ink on the front was green and loopy (Orion Taylor, 6 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey), and the envelope was closed with a wax 'H' seal.  
Shaking with barely concealed excitement, she opened it with care.   
Inside were three more sheets of parchment.   
  
The first piece had a shield printed in ink on it, showing a badger, a snake, a lion, a bird and an 'H', the rest of the header was even stranger,  
  


_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbedore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grad Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards) _

  
  
"What?" wondered Orion, "A magic school?" Intrigued, she read on to the green and loopy handwriting below:  
  
_Dear Miss Taylor,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later that 31 July.   
  
Yours Sincerely,   
  
Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress_   
  
"Whoah." She turned over to the next piece of parchment, listed on it were books by people like Newt Salacmander and Miranda Goshawk, she skimmed down the list, things like "1 cauldron' and '1 wand' caught her eye, along with '1 pointed hat' and '1 pair of gloves (dragon hide or similar)', causing her to think that maybe she hit her head at some point. She read back through it. A wand. She had read right. She was either delusional, or this was some very big prank; flipping over to the last sheet, she noted that this one was written in scarlet ink and by a different hand.   
  
Dear Miss Orion Taylor,  
Somebody will be meeting you at your house on June 20th so that you can get your school things and bring you to Hogwarts -no owl will be needed. I look forward to seeing you then.   
  
Yours Sincerely,   
  
Albus Dumbledore  
Headmaster   
  
For the rest of the day, Orion was all but silent, debating whether or not to tell the Williams that some one would be coming over to take her and buy some school things, and only answering Cecilia's call to help unpack Joshua's things on the sixth beckoning.   
  
The next day, Orion was up early reading and re-reading the letter, still wondering if she should tell them, or just leave. It wasn't like they actually loved her anyway, the only thing they loved as the money.  
At seven-thirty she went downstairs, got a glass of milk and found some stale cornflakes at the bottom of a box, surprisingly enough, labelled 'Food', and tip-toed as silently as she could, back up to her room to get changed -the letter didn't say anything about what time this person would arrive. Rifling through her meagre collection of clothes that had been thrown into the bottom of a box took only a matter of minutes, and she subsequently decided oh the combats she'd worn yesterday, which were dark blue and didn't show creases very easily, and a hooded red t-shirt for no other reason than it was the smoothest to pull out.   
  
An hour and a half later Joshua was up and out of bed, and one hour after that Richard and Cecilia arose.  
By then, Orion was beginning to doubt the letter, and her spirits fell. But then, at twenty to twelve, when she had all but given up and was getting ready to face another summer with Joshua, the doorbell rang and her hope rose.   
  
"Get the door Orion!" Cecilia hollered from the kitchen, where she was reading a recipe she had borrowed from Mrs. Dursley. For the first time ever, she didn't complain, instead she jumped down the stairs three at a time, the whole way praying to whoever may be listening that it was the person sent to get her, and not one of Joshua's friends, or Dudley from next door.  
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, a thought struck her like lightening, how would she know?   
She opened the door slowly, not daring to look, but when she couldn't keep her eyes squeezed shut for another minute, and she stood a foot inside the threshold, she stared at the man before her, something flickered in the back of her mind but it was gone before it properly registered.   
  
*****   
  
When the first week of summer rolled by, with nothing from Sirius, but several owls from Ron talking about random things, for which Harry was very grateful -it was his only connection to the Wizarding World, and one from Hermione saying she was on holiday with her parents for a few weeks but would be back in England soon, unless they visited some relatives in Germany.  
On Wednesday of the second week, Harry woke up to Pig tapping hyperactively on the window, a piece of parchment attached to his tiny leg. Hastily, Harry opened the window and let the owl inside (it was seven in the morning after all), taking off the letter and making Hedwig share her perch with him (a task that was harder than it sounded) before finally opening said letter and reading it.   
  
_Dear Harry,_ (was written in Ron's characteristic scrawl)  
_Do you want to come over to my house for the rest of the summer? My mum and dad spoke to Dumbledore and he said you're allowed to stay -I would've sent you an owl sooner saying this, but it took them from when school broke up 'til now to sort it out, I don't know why and dad wouldn't say, and he said I shouldn't say anything until Dumbledore said yes for sure.  
Adults are weird.  
We're coming to get you tomorrow at 8 o'clock in the evening, whether those Muggles you live with say you can come or not. Just be in the garden then and we'll come and pick you up. If you're not there then, well we'll come inside and get you anyway. That means you can spend your birthday at our house! _  
  
Hermione's going to come over in a week or something and she's going to owl us when she's back in England.  
Have you heard anything from Snuffles? We've been keeping an eye on the Daily Prophet and nothings really been reported, unless you count how much the Prophet hates Dumbledore.  
From,  
Ron   
  
Did he want to go to The Burrow? Did he want to leave the Dursleys? What a question! Of course he did! Writing as much on the first bit of parchment he could find, he also said that he would be on the front garden, trunk and Hedwig and all, at six, whether the Dursleys agreed or not.   
  
*   
  
A few hours later a thin, bony hand pushed a small plate of cold bacon (three rashers) through the cat flap.  
This was his chance.  
"Aunt Petunia? Could I go to my friend's house for the rest of the summer? I wouldn't need to come back for the rest of the year. They could be here for eight tonight." The words came tumbling out one after the other, afraid that she would leave before he was finished.  
Lady Luck was listening, for once, because he heard a sniffing of disdain,  
"I'll talk to your uncle."  
Harry did a small, very quiet, victory dance; 'talk' was better than an outright 'no'.   
  
At seven thirty, every thing was packed and ready, Harry was pacing up and down the small expanse of his bedroom like a caged animal, and Uncle Vernon had yet to decide whether he could go or not. Personally, he didn't see where the debate was -he hated Harry, Harry hated him; he hated Harry staying in his home, Harry hated staying there too… where was the question?   
  
Apparently, the same thing had occurred to Uncle Vernon, it just took longer to get through his dense skull, because at five minutes to eight, and not a minute before, he came stomping up the stairs and threw open the lock on his door and stood like a gigantic elephant in the doorway.  
"You can go as long as we don't have to see you again 'til next summer," he said gruffly.   
Like I'd want to spend Christmas with you?  
"Yes, Uncle Vernon."   
  
"They'll be here at eight?"   
  
That's what I said, you great oaf.  
"Yes, Uncle Vernon."   
  
He looked at the watch on his large wrist, three minutes to eight. Then, he did extremely unusual, but not entirely unexpected; he helped Harry carry down his trunk, because, on his own, it would have taken him a lot longer than three minutes to get everything on the front lawn, and that would mean wizards being longer on his garden. Now, Uncle Vernon couldn't have that, could he? No, they might contaminate the lawn, or something: maybe blow it up.  
"Thank you, Uncle Vernon."  
The door was slammed shut behind him.   
  
Sitting on his trunk, Harry mused about how the Weasleys would pick him up, they didn't have a car (anymore), and the Ministry was hardly going to lend one again, they couldn't come by Floo Powder since he was outside, but they could use a Portkey (however uncomfortable the experience). He was wrong. With a loud 'bang!' the Knight Bus rumbled to a stop in front of him and Mr. Weasley hopped off with a slight green tinge to his cheeks and a word to the driver to wait a minute.  
"How are you, Harry?" he said, smiling, as he and Harry picked up the trunk and loaded it on to the bus.   
  
"I'm great: no more Dursleys for the rest of the summer, oh wait, Hedwig," running back to Hedwig, who squawked angrily, he returned to the triple-decker bus, owl and all, as quickly as possible. Mr. Weasley motioned for him to follow as they climbed a rickety staircase to the middle-floor.  
As far as Harry could remember, you were supposed to pay for the services of the Knight Bus, had things changed since he went on before his third year? Also, instead of the bunks lining the walls, there were padded seats and blankets, thinking about it, last time it had been very late -the seats would probably change to bunks in a few hours.  
"Professor Dumbledore arranged the fares to be paid," Mr. Weasley explained, "and to get to and from quickly, so we should be arriving back at The Burrow soon."  
Harry nodded, but was slightly preoccupied in thinking that he was very glad that the cold bacon was the only thing he'd eaten all day when they went over a pothole and round a hairpin of a bend.  
The middle-aged witch on the seat beside them, whose hair was streaked an interesting side of red, wasn't as lucky and put a hand to her mouth as her face turned an ill-looking green.   
  
Several sharp turns, jerks and twists later, the Knight Bus was at The Burrow and Mrs. Weasley was hugging him and bringing him inside, saying that he would be having some supper with Ron, and then it was straight to bed.  
Harry grinned. The summer holidays had finally begun.   
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
So, what did you think? Okay? Terrible? Whatever you think to it, REVIEW it. Please? I can live with flames, they keep my room warm in the winter!  
I won't say i won't write anymore unless I get a certain number of reviews, 'cause that always sounds kind of stupid.   
ANYWAY, I would like it very much if you DID review **nods**  
--Lani 


	2. Chapter Two: Diagon Alley and Pesky Gard...

Disclaimer: I own nothing, other than all original characters not seen/mentioned in Harry Potter before and the plot. All Harry Potter related things belong to JK Rowling. I am not earning any money from this, nor making a profit. I'm meerly playing in their sandbox because they have nicer toys and no cat poop. C'mon folks, if i DID own it, i wouldn't NEED to write fanfiction, would I? For example, THAT thing that happened in OotP would NEVER have happened. (lmao, don't you love cut and paste folks?)  
Author: Lani  
E-Mail: lanirhys@aol.com  
Authors Notes: Has only one person read this? **pouts** Ah well, this chapter is pretty long but i had to get a lot in.... stick with it guys! it HAS a plot, you just have to bear with me!  
  
**Review Response:**  
**Lady Jen1:** wow! your review actually made my day! i'm SO happy you like it, i was hyper for hours! and you think my writings good? **is caught between blushing and jumping up and down**, well here's chapter two for you! i'm gonna go and read yours now, 'cause i've commandeered the computer **grins manically**   
  
  
_

Please R/R! :)  


_   
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
**Chapter Two**   
  
_But I know I muat go on  
Although I hurt I must be strong  
because inside I know that many  
feel this way  
Don't Stop Dancing, Creed_   
  
_I saw the next door garden lie,  
Adorned with flowers, before my eye,  
And many pleasant places more  
That I had never seen before.   
Foreign Lands, R.L. Stevenson_   
*****   
The man had light-brown hair flecked with early grey, was dressed in a pair of blue jeans that looked like he'd worn them a few hundred times too many, a t-shirt and jacket.   
  
"Hello," he said extending a hand towards her in greeting, a faint smile gracing his lips, "You must be Orion."   
  
"Hi, you must be… the person from the letter?" Orion said awkwardly, shaking the mans offered hand hesitantly, "Are you really gonna take me to get all this," she gestured wildly to the parchment, "stuff?"   
  
"Yes, I would." he smiled faintly, "My name's Remus Lupin."   
  
At that moment, the kitchen door swung open and Cecilia strode through, duster and polish in hand, wearing a frown.  
"Who's this, Orion?"   
  
"Uh," she shuffled her feet, "Cecilia this is Remus Lupin, Mr. Lupin, this is Cecilia Williams…" trailing off she stared at the wall behind Cecilia's head.   
  
"And?"   
  
"Well…uh… sales, no… uh… je -no… he's a, no…"   
  
When no further answer was forthcoming, and Cecilia's eyebrows had managed to knit together, Remus cleared his throat.  
"I'm here to take Orion to get her things -like it says in the letter?"   
  
Orion's eyes widened comically, her mouth dropping to silently form 'no' and 'oh damn' simultaneously, whilst Cecilia, on the other hand, lost her eyebrows into her highlighted hairline and fixed an accusing glare on to Orion,  
"What letter?" the question was directed at Remus, but Orion fielded it instead.   
  
"I got a letter yesterday, it says that somebody would come and pick me up today to get stuff."   
  
"And where is this letter?"   
  
Reluctance showing in every motion, she passed the letter to her.   
  
As Cecilia took the sheets and proceeded to read them, Remus faced the teen with his own eyebrows quirked in the sky's direction. Before he could say anything though, Cecilia ordered them to the kitchen in a very tight voice, and, for some reason, Remus let himself be ushered into the room too.  
Orion gulped -she hadn't looked happy, and was probably on her way to find Richard now.  
The kitchen door closed with a definitive 'click', and the sounds of Cecilia's heeled feet on the wooden floor echoed as she walked away.   
  
"Why didn't you tell them about the letter?" he asked, perplexed, "I know they're not your parents, but you should have."   
  
"You can sit down if you want," she said, hoisting herself onto the kitchen counter, "I haven't had time to booby-trap the chairs yet and they could still be awhile."  
He sat down at the kitchen table, casting a wary glance over the table and chairs before finally speaking after staring out the window behind her,   
  
"You didn't answer my question."   
  
"I know."   
  
"Why didn't you tell them?"   
  
"Because it would've been a one-way trip to grounded-dom, that's why. The Williams don't like anything abnormal, and, I'm sorry Mr. Lupin, but a letter from a school that teaches witchcraft and wizardry under a headmaster who's a supreme mugwump isn't exactly common occurrence."   
  
"Ah."   
  
"Indeedy." Silence fell for a moment, each wrapped in their own thoughts, although Orion's were entering chaotic in their confusion and excitement, bubbling over with questions and trying to keep up with the whirlwind of happenings of the last day: here was a man, waiting in their new kitchen, to hear the outcome of Cecilia and Richard's probable decision, to hopefully take her to a school to learn witchcraft and wizardry.  
Everything was topsy-turvy, inside out and upside down, but that didn't mean it was a bad thing -this could be mean her final days with the Williams, and more importantly, Joshua.  
Finally, when she could take it no longer, she sighed loudly and asked, "Is this all some big joke?"   
  
"No, it's very real." Then Remus looked at the window again, like he was considering whether or not to tell her something, "In-fact, there's a boy next door, at number four, who goes to Hogwarts too."   
  
Orion racked her memory, trying to think of the boy's next door. As far as she knew, there was only one boy next-door, fat-whale Dudley. "The fat one? Ugly Dudley?"   
  
"There's another that lives there too, Dudley's cousin, Harry -he isn't anywhere near as, large, as Dudley, he's more towards the skinny side actually, has black hair? Glasses?"   
  
She shook her head, "Never seen him."   
  
Remus nodded his head, it wasn't surprising -the Dursleys had never been fond of Harry, and it was certainly not unusual to know the Dursleys and not Harry. From what he had gathered, they preferred to act as if Harry didn't exist.   
  
"Can I ask another question?"   
  
"Go ahead."   
  
"If term starts in September, why am I going to Hogwarts now?"   
  
He frowned, "I'm not sure."  
Orion pulled a face, she got the feeling he was lying, but if it meant there was a possibility she wouldn't be at the William's for over a month, who was she to call him on it?   
  
"What about all this stuff I have to get? They sound like things out of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and I don't think they sell that Standard Book of Spells by Frog Newtron, or whatever, at WHSmith, y'know."   
  
"No, I don't suppose you could," he chuckled, "If you know where to go though, you could get all of those things in London."   
  
"Oh, okay, but London isn't exactly just 'round the corner." she paused, then, "but, one more question and I'll be quiet for three minutes," she carried on in a rush, "how much is this gonna cost me? I don't mean to sound rude or anything, it's just that I don't exactly get a luxury allowance…"   
  
"That's all been covered, so you don't need to worry about money."   
  
Orion stared at him for a moment, it was easy for him to say; he was an adult: he could get a job, whereas the Williams forbid her from even getting a paper-round. Who'd covered the payment for all of these things? It wasn't like she had any loving relatives, unless there was a great-great-great aunt twice removed, and from the sounds of most of the items, none of it would come cheap!   
  
"Don't suppose you know who?" she asked, hopeful.   
  
Predictably, he shook his head, "Sorry."   
  
Half an hour later, which was a lot quicker that she thought they would take to decide the rest of her life, Richard and Cecilia entered the kitchen; Orion jumped off the counter before they could say anything.   
  
"We have decided that," Richard placed the latter on the table like it was radioactive, her heart skipped a beat, "you can go."  
It took all of her self-control to stop from jumping into the air. "But," Damn, she thought, there's always a but.  
"We won't foster a freak: you'll have to go to the orphanage whenever you're not going to be at that school."  
In the corner of her eye Orion swore she saw Remus tighten his grip on the counter when Richard said 'freak', but she shook it off. It had actually gone a lot better than she expected -at least she was allowed to go, and staying at the orphanage wouldn't be so bad.  
The ultimatum, however, he had yet to say.  
"We want your stuff out by the end of the day, and don't even think of going near Joshua."   
  
"Can you do that?" she said automatically.   
  
"Yes, we can. I phoned your social workers and the orphanage to tell them that we couldn't foster you any more, because we just couldn't handle your behaviour any longer and it was disturbing our son. Don't worry -I did inform them that we had been kind enough to find you a boarding school, so you would only need to stay there during holidays and perhaps weekends -we hadn't cleared that up yet." A sick smile twisted his face, contorting his face in a manner scarily reminiscent of something sadistic.  
What did he mean? Couldn't handle her behaviour? Disturbing Joshua -it was more like the other way around: Joshua's behaviour disturbed her! "Why you -"   
  
"I don't think that was a very nice thing to do," Remus stepped in, "however, it is your conscience not mine. As to weekends, students stay at the school, but during the holidays they have the option of either staying at school, without lessons, or going home; the only holiday they can't stay at the school is during the summer holidays.  
"In regards to the 'end of the day' deadline, that will do nicely. Now, may we get Orion's things? I wouldn't want to put you out."  
Remus may have been an inch shorter than Richard, but he certainly knew how to use his words, because they stepped aside, too shocked for words.   
  
"Thanks," Orion managed, pushing open what would've been her bedroom door, grasping the letter in her hand, she'd grabbed it just before leaving, "that was cool, what you just did I mean." She paused for breath, "Do I call you Mr. Lupin or Remus, or there's the ever cool: The-Guy-Who-Shocked-Richard-Into-Silence?"   
  
He smiled, "Just call me Remus, and it wasn't a problem, and I didn't like what he said anymore than you did. Now, have you got a bag? It'd probably be easier to carry than a box." he eyed the two boxes sitting in the corner.   
  
"Yeah, I'll only take a minute to pack, so no running." She reached into the nearest box and pulled out a faded blue backpack and proceeded to the next, pulling out a small amount of clothes after a minute of rummaging, and shoved them into her bag.  
"There, now if you'll just turn around or close your eyes, I'll be done." At his curious gaze she added, "Underwear?"   
  
"Oh!" His face went a little pink but he promptly turned to face the other way.   
  
Orion pushed her diary and hair things into a side pocket, "Done."   
  
"Already?" Remus opened his eyes to stare at her, astonishment written clearly on his face.   
  
"Yeah… how long did you think it'd take?" Slinging the bag over one shoulder she grinned at him.   
  
"I'm not sure, longer than that." He looked around the room; it didn't look any different to when he stepped in not three minutes before, "Ready?"   
  
"I think so." Orion went through a mental checklist: TedTed, Pafoo, diary, box and life savings: check. "Yeah."   
  
They turned to the bedroom door, but she stopped and looked at him quizzically, realising that everything was moving significantly fast enough to be disturbing.  
"How do I know you aren't some hired assassin working for my physics teacher so that he'll never have to teach me again?"   
  
Remus laughed, "I guess you don't at the moment, would you like me to prove it? That there really is magic?"   
  
No doubt about it. "Yes."   
  
"All right." He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a stick, not a black one with white cylinders on the end, just a wooden stick. "This," he said, "is a wand, my wand. It's made from redwood and has a unicorn's hair inside of it." He explained, passing it to her, Orion took it hesitantly and turned it over in her hands, realising that it wasn't just a stick fallen from a tree, rather it had actually been carved, so well in fact, that it was perfectly smooth; she handed it back to him and he pointed it at a pillow that'd been thrown hastily onto the bed earlier. "Watch this," he held the wand in the air, "Accio pillow!"  
To her utter amazement the pillow flew from the bed to his outstretched hand. "Convinced?"   
  
"Definitely." Still staring at the pillow she continued, "Will I learn how to do that?"   
  
"Yes, and more, and the sooner we leave the sooner you can get to Hogwarts."   
  
Somehow, she managed to get down the stairs and out of the door without looking back and all the way down to the next street before jumping into the air and screaming.   
  
"Are you okay?"   
  
"Yes, it's just, YES!" she skipped mid air to emphasise her point, "So how're we getting to Hogwarts?"   
  
"You'll see in a minute, down here." He led her into a small alleyway, "Don't touch any newspapers."   
  
"Why?"   
  
"You'll see in a minute." He repeated, as they walked by a row of dustbins and stopped at the last one, which had what looked like yesterdays newspaper on top.   
  
He indicated to it, "This newspaper has been set up as a one-way one-time Portkey, a Portkey," he added at her confused gaze, "is something that we can set up to take people just about anywhere. On three, I want you to touch the newspaper, then you'll feel like something is pulling you, and then you'll end up in a street -that'll be Diagon Alley."   
  
"So this'll only work once? It was only set up to work once?"   
  
"That's right."   
  
"So how'd you get here?"   
  
"Hmm," said Remus, "you're smarter than you look."   
  
She smirked, "Thanks, but don't get too used to it."   
  
"Okay, if you say so." He said, "I Apparated here, at seventeen you can take a test to Apparate. Apparation is the ability to leave one place and appear in another."   
  
"Really?" she asked, disbelievingly.   
  
Crack! He was standing on her right, "Really."   
  
"Wicked."   
  
"Ready?" Orion nodded, her stomach suddenly got butterflies: what if it didn't work? "One," What if it went wrong? "Two," The butterflies started doing somersaults, badly. "Three." She and Remus touched the newspaper and a pulling from behind her navel was uncomfortably prominent, but before she could throw-up she was on the floor in an alcove on a street. It seemed she had fallen over at one point.   
  
"That was, weird?" she said as Remus helped her up.   
  
"Everyone falls over on their first few trips by Portkey. Now this," he bought her to look at a gleaming white building visible from the edge of the alcove, "is Gringotts -the Wizard Bank."   
  
"Whoah."   
  
"And that is the rest of Diagon Alley." He gestured to the busy street onto which the bay opened. Shops were packed tightly along the sides of the cobbled street, with names like Quality Quidditch, Flourish and Blotts and Eelops Owl Emporium to name but a few. "Now, according to your list you need some books, so you'll want the best and most stocked bookstore I've ever been to: Flourish and Blotts."   
  
"How many bookstores have you been to?"   
  
Remus walked out, "Quite a few. Orion I want you to stay close and not wander off, okay?"   
  
"Um, Remus?" She struggled to keep up as he wound through the numerous bodies, but her heard her and turned around, "I don't mean to sound stupid, but why's everyone wearing funny clothes? They look like robes!"   
  
"That's because they are -wizards wear robes and cloaks as normal clothes, though most children and students do wear Muggle clothes when they're not at school."   
  
"Oh… what's a Muggle?"   
  
"People who aren't magic, like the Williams." said Remus absently.   
  
"Right," she paused, thinking that this wouldn't be the first or last time she'd discover things like that, "One more thing,"   
  
"What?"   
  
"I know you said it was covered, but how am I going to pay for everything?"   
  
As he answered and pulled her into the shop, she caught something in his eye, but it was gone before she could identify it.   
  
"Your parents were magic too, and they left you money for when you would come to Hogwarts."   
  
"Cool!" Her heart skipped a beat; did that mean he'd known them? "Did you know my mum and dad?"   
  
"Not really," he answered, "I knew of them though, they were nice people." The feeling of being lied to crept into her again, because Remus wouldn't meet her eyes and was purposely looking away. She didn't have time to dwell on the thought any longer, however, as she had finally looked around at her surroundings.  
Every wall was lined from ceiling to floor with shelf upon shelf of books ranging in sizes, shapes, colours, and apparently species too, because there was a cage full of books on a stand that had silver wings, and were flapping about.  
While Remus led her to the counter where a man stood, Orion couldn't stop staring at them all: there was a stack of books so small she was amazed that people could even write in it, let alone read whatever was written, one slate sized book that looked like it was made of pure gold and a dark black one that looked like it was splashed with blood, entitled 'How to rid yourself of enemies, for good' by Ruth Less.  
Remus handed the man the list,  
"Could we have these please?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
Ten minutes later and Orion left the store weighted down with all of her books, and a new level of confusion; the money was extremely weird.  
"What's the deal with the money? I'm sure he said Galleons and Knuts?"   
  
"It's wizard money: Galleons, which are gold, Sickles, they're the silver ones, and Knuts, which are bronze." He showed her one of each, "We use these where Muggles would use their pounds and pence, it's easy to remember once you get used to it; there's twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle and seventeen Sickles to a Galleon."   
  
"Right," Orion nodded, "but wouldn't it be easier to use tens and hundreds?"   
  
"Probably." he said, "So what else is on your list?"  
The man behind the counter had given the list back to her after he'd collected all of the books, so she fished it out again and picked a items at random for them to find by waving her finger over the it and jabbing it down randomly.   
  
Two hours later and Orion had everything: robes, books, a cauldron, potion ingredients… everything except a wand.  
"Where're we going to get a wand from?"   
  
Remus pointed to a rather rickety looking store in front of them, "The best wandmaker here: Ollivanders." Painted black all over, and dust-covered windows were the first impression, and even they looked old. On a board across the door there was faded, peeling golden writing that read:  
_

Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382BC

_  
Orion stepped inside, a bell rang faintly somewhere but she was too fascinated by all the stacks upon stacks behind the counter to listen where: every stack was filled with row upon row of little boxes; the air itself was musty with age and hanging in silence. Remus, who stood beside her said, "This was I got my first wand too, it still looks exactly the same."  
Orion was about to respond that hadn't they ever even ran a duster over it, but a very old looking man came from seemingly nowhere and said,  
  
  
"Well hello, I haven't seen you before," he paused, "and you're not a First Year."   
  
She felt her stomach jolt, what did that mean? How many years were there?  
"I'm fourteen."   
  
"Ah, going into your fifth year after the summer then?"  
Fifth year? What was going on? Remus definitely had some explaining to do.   
  
Then, he got himself further into her now-just-this-minute-written 'bad books' because, instead of saying something to justify whatever the old man, who was presumably Mr. Ollivander, had just dropped on her, he said, "I'll be back soon."  
And he left, before she could protest.  
Mr. Ollivander carried on, regardless of her rising panic. "Now, which is your wand arm?"   
  
"Uh," The butterflies were back and it felt like they were having a party.   
  
"Which hand do you write with?"   
  
Why didn't he just say that? "Oh, left."   
  
"Hold out your arm please."   
  
Orion held out her arm and the Mr. Ollivander, whose eyes looked remarkably silver she noted, started taking measurements from her shoulder thumb, her elbow to her wrist, between each of her fingers, the length of her middle finger, elbow to little finger, shoulder to palm… it was when it measured from her ear to her eye that she realised that the tape-measure was doing it without aide, and he was standing on a ladder leaning through one of the stacks. Upon returning, her handed her a wand and said, "Try this one: willow and dragon heartstring, ten inches."  
The butterflies started doing cartwheels but she did the first thing that came to her head, she waved it around. Nothing.   
  
"Oh no, that won't do, try this one: Redwood and unicorn hair, seven and a half inches."  
Orion waved it again, but before she had barely started he took it back, shaking his head and passed over another wand.  
"Beech and phoenix feather, eight and quarter inches."  
Once again she barely started to even move when he whipped it away, passing her another one.  
And another.  
And another.  
After six, she began to wonder if she was doing something wrong. But still, he kept giving her wand, after wand. After wand. Remus came back in after about ten minutes, and was still looking in on the scene with, from what she could see, quiet amusement.  
Still the wands kept coming. What was Mr. Ollivander looking for anyway?   
  
"A fussy customer, eh?" he said after a while, "Never mind -I think I know which one now, you know, the wand chooses the wizard really, not the wizard who chooses the wand."  
She nodded politely, thinking it would be nice to leave this rather small shop quickly.  
He handed her another wand, "Try this one: yew and mahogany, phoenix feather, eleven and three quarter inches."  
Orion felt a warm, almost electrical, sensation rush up her arm and back into the wand where sparks gushed from the tip.   
  
"Ah yes. That's a very nice wand you have there, take care of it."  
Mr. Ollivander went over to the till, "That will be six Galleons please."  
Remus paid the man and they walked quickly out of the store.   
  
"Bloody Hell, I think I must've tried every wand in the shop! Twice! Where did you go anyway?"   
  
"To get us ice-creams." He produced two ice-creams from the hand he'd held behind his back.   
  
"Thanks, I have got to know how you do that." She said, licking her ice-cream. "So where do we go now? I have everything else on the list."   
  
"Now I take you to Hogwarts,"   
  
"Portkey?"   
  
"Portkey."   
  
"Great. Don't you magic folk have an easier way to get around? Like cars? Bikes? Skateboards?" she moaned.   
  
"No cars -we have Apparation, remember?"   
  
"Oh yeah."   
  
"And we have brooms, though they're only useful if you have one, maybe two people. In the Middle-East they use carpets, you know."   
  
"Wicked! So where's the Portkey this time? Or what is it?"   
  
"Here." Remus had led her to the alcoves again and revealed an old boot in the corner.   
  
"Here I go again." Orion said placing her hand on the battered old thing, feeling the familiar sensation of having her naval pulled out a split second later.   
  
*****   
  
"Oh come on mate; that was only ten feet!"   
  
"Let's see you do better then! Go on!" Harry challenged, watching as Ron grabbed a gnome (which are short, fat little things, with heads that looked remarkably like overgrown, grey potatoes) by its ears from the bushes, swung it around and tossed it over the fence, where it landed nearly thirty feet away.   
  
"You were saying, Harry?"   
  
"Oh shut up." But he was grinning, "Where's Ginny anyway? I haven't seen her since lunch."   
  
"Don't know, she's probably doing her nails or reading a magazine in her room."   
  
"You want to find out?" George wriggled his eyebrows, "We've got some Extendable Ears…"   
  
"How'd they survive the purge?" asked Ron, incredulous.   
  
"We hid them _really_ well."   
  
Harry had been at The Burrow for three days, and already he felt more at home than he ever had with the Dursleys at Privet Drive, although the first day he got there things had been a little, tense. The day before he arrived, Mrs. Weasley had discovered several of the twins' latest, successful, invention: Extendable Ears. Furious that they had carried on with their 'ridiculous' idea, she destroyed them in one angry flick of her wand.  
Apparently, the twins were smart enough not to keep everything they made in one place.  
They, however, were but sardines compared to Percy, who was an overgrown swordfish. From what Ron told him, when term finished and Percy spent a rare ten minutes at home, they had a family discussion about Voldemort, evidently Percy didn't agree, there was a _huge_ fight and left home -he hadn't spoken to any of them since.   
  
"_Where?_"   
  
"That's our secret, little brother."   
  
At Ron's frustrated look, Harry patted him on the back, "Don't worry, it's probably in their drawers or something."   
  
"Boys! Hermione's here!" called Mrs. Weasley from somewhere in the Kitchen.   
  
Sure enough, Hermione's bushy head burst through the door moments later.  
"Ron! Harry!" she yelled, smiling from ear to ear, "I missed you two so much!" To prove this, she enveloped each in a tight hug.   
  
"What -Hermione -get off -" Ron protested as the tips of his ears reddened, though he made no movements to stop her.   
  
"Hi Hermione," said Harry, laughing, "So what've you been doing?"   
  
"I went skiing with my parents in Austria for two weeks, but -Fred! What're you doing?"  
She had just noticed him swinging a particularly loud gnome out of the garden.   
  
"They're gnomes," he said, "and we're getting rid of them."   
  
"Calm down!" said Ron, "It doesn't hurt them or anything; it makes them really dizzy though, so they can't find their way back right away. Or are you going to start another organisation? S.H.I.T? Stop Hurting Innocent Things? So you can protest about moving all pests?"   
  
"Oh shut up, Ron." If she was hoping for any support from Harry, she was going to be sorely disappointed, as he was on the floor in fits of laughter with Fred and George.  
The Weasley's garden was somewhat on the wild side, the type that the Dursleys detested and Harry loved; there were weeds the size of plants, grass that reached knee-length in places, bushes where gnomes lived that hadn't been trimmed or pruned for years, a hedgerow and fence blended together at the bottom of the garden, a small row of flowers had been planted at one point, but stopped being tended a good few years ago and since grown untamed in its own manner; growing in whichever directions they felt like and whatever speed. It was perfect.   
  
"Harry, are you coming mate?"   
  
"Wha? Yeah." Jogging to join them, they traversed the relatively small distance between the garden and The Burrow joking about S.H.I.T and how funny it would be if, by some freak accident, Fred or George was made Head Boy; they'd be devastated, maybe even suicidal.  
Inside the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was cooking in the rather small kitchen, pointing her wand in every direction; potatoes were peeling (by themselves), dishes were being washed, and vegetables were transferring themselves from a bowl to a saucepan full of simmering water on the stove.  
Mrs. Weasley was a plump, kind woman with a warm face, flaming red hair like all her children, and a temper like that of tiger.   
"Hello dears, lunch will be ready in half an hour, so don't wander off." she said, not looking up from the bowl of mixture she was adding eggs too.   
  
"Right, mum."   
  
They wandered up the flights of crooked stairs to Ron's room; it looked just like it did when Harry first stepped inside four summers ago: the walls were covered in bright orange posters of the Chudley Cannons, all waving, all grinning excitedly, throwing Quaffles, pounding Bludgers, and even one of their Seeker chasing after the Snitch, his bedspread featured the same colours and the team logo: two black C's overlapping each other, though admittedly it did look like it had a few more holes than when he saw it last year, and that burnt patch hadn't been there either. Scabbers, whom hadn't been there since he revealed himself to be the traitor who betrayed Harry's parents; was now replaced instead by a cage containing a very active, very loud owl, called Pig.   
  
"Heard anything from Snuffles?" Ron asked, closing the door with some difficulty.   
  
Having known this would come sooner or later, didn't mean that he liked the answer, he sighed, sitting on a spare space on the bed, "Nothing."   
  
"Not even one letter?" Hermione remarked,   
  
"Nope."   
  
They sat in silence, musing over what this could mean, was Sirius in trouble? Were the Ministry getting close? Were they on to him?   
  
Ron stared at the floor, kicking idly at an owl treat that'd fallen there, Hermione pressed her nails to her cheeks, letting red marks show; finally she whispered, "I hope he's okay."   
  
"Me too."   
  
Harry stayed silent, and was saved from answering by Mrs. Weasleys call that lunch was ready.  
As usual, she'd cooked enough food to feed an army of five thousand, which, in reality, equalled the eating capacity of everyone present, meaning Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and Harry.   
  
"Eat up dears," she said, squeezing another plate of food onto the already packed table. "Do you want some more, Harry?"   
  
"Yes please."  
Mrs. Weasley passed him the bowl of mashed potatoes that had been just out of his reach before finally seating herself.  
No one could miss her anxious glancing to the Weasley family clock, which she did every other minute, usually accompanied by the nervous clatter of either her knife or fork. Mr. Weasley had been spending a lot of time at work since the return of Voldemort, telling people who he thought were in the same mind as quietly and indiscreetly as possible. The problem was Cornelius Fudge, the bowler-hat-wearing Minister of Magic, was publicly and firmly opposing any sign or rumour that Voldemort was back, and was not opposed to stating to any one that would listen what he thought Dumbledore was a dangerous and lying fool who would do anything to gain power over the Ministry of Magic.  
The sad thing was, a lot of people believed him.   
Harry, Hermione, and all of the Weasley family save Percy, did not.   
  
As they were all clearing the table, all except Ginny who disappeared to go to the toilet, the longest arrow on the clock, Mr. Weasleys arrow, whizzed from 'At Work' to 'Travelling', then, with a crack he appeared by the kitchen fire and his arrow zoomed to 'At Home'.  
"Molly," he said, looking at his wife pointedly and then to the living room he turned to the other occupants of the kitchen, "Kids, go into the garden for a little while, would you? I need to talk to your mum for a minute."   
  
Reluctantly, they filed out, Fred and George tailing behind talking in hushed voices. They joined the others a moment after, smug looks on their faces.  
"Want to know what they're talking about?"   
  
"Bet it's important." George said, an identical grin from ear to ear on his twins face, "We're going to listen -we planted some Extendable Ears just now…"   
  
"Pass one here then,"   
  
"Ron!"   
  
"What? I want to know!"   
  
"Me too, pass one over George."   
  
"And me!"   
  
Hermione, out-numbered five to one, gave in with a 'you should know better' frown, but agreed to take an Ear anyway.   
  
_"Fudge is making it exceptionally difficult,"_ Mr. Weasley was saying, _"If he suspects that anyone is spreading 'discontent and lies' he'll order an immediate investigation and fire them within a second, whatever the results of the investigation."   
  
"That man is -"   
  
"Close minded." He cut in hastily, "We're still doing the best we can, but now everyone will be scared of loosing their jobs.  
We had to get Fletcher and tell him to stop completely, at least for the time being, because he's the least inconspicuous. Pulipcity is still diverting the search for Black, and no one suspects anything."   
  
"Well that's good at least." Sighed Mrs. Weasley, "Do you think he will ever get a trial?"   
  
"I don't know, Molly. He certainly won't at the moment, and not in the foreseeable future either, the way things are going, but they could change -you never know.  
Now, I meant to ask earlier, but I got a little sidetracked, any word from Dumbledore about headquarters?" _  
The last word was spoken in barely a whisper, and all eavesdroppers had to strain their ears to hear the rest,  
_"Nothing, but the problem is finding a place and then setting up the right wards for it, it won't just be Muggles that it will have to be kept secret from; but I was wondering, what about from Remus'?"   
  
"Thanks to the latest law passed on werewolves and half-humans, his house is registered with the Ministry."   
  
"That's ridiculous!"   
  
"I know."_   
  
Harry stared at Ron, "You don't think?"   
  
"They couldn't -"   
  
"What?"   
  
"Last year when," Harry paused, "when I was talking to Dumbledore, he told Sirius to get all of the 'old crowd', and he said something about Mundungus Fletcher -that's got to be the one your dad was talking about."   
  
"How come they didn't tell us?" Ron was outraged, glaring at the house where his parents were still talking.   
  
"Probably because it's dangerous." Hermione said carefully.   
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
C'mon folks, i do love reading reviews, even flames! Flames are good! They make me laugh! Constructive critism is better, because it helps me improve my writing! So, review and, and, and, well i'll write quicker **winks**  
ANYWAY, I would like it very much if you DID review **nods**  
--Lani 


	3. Chapter Three: Castles and Order Suspisi...

Disclaimer: see chapters one and two   
Author: Lani  
E-Mail: lanirhys@aol.com  
Authors Notes: Is there something about this story that everybody hates :( lol.... ahh well i'm still gonna write it! so :P  
**Review Response:**  
**Charlie:** Harry get a pet snake? i'm not sure about the pet thing, but if you want i'll work a snake for Harry into it -it can kill him or something, lol -joking! but a snake friend for Harry. How's that? Yeah the Harry bit hasn't been very dramatic -but things are happening in it and he's learning things! honest! You like the Orion bit? Yay! Took me bloody ages to write _

Please R/R! :)  


_   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
**Chapter Three**   
  
Orion found herself on the floor, again, in front of a set of tall iron gates with the same crest wrought into it as there was printed on the parchment.  
"Is this it?" she asked, looking around for a collection of buildings that were bound to be a school. "There's nothing here."   
  
"Look over there, beyond the gates." He said, pointing to a point beyond a lake.   
  
"That's a castle, Remus."   
  
"That's Hogwarts." He replied in the same tone.   
  
"It's a castle!" This was unbelievable! Schools were square with two or three floors, and demountables that needed demolishing but wouldn't be until new ones were bought or new buildings built; they weren't castles!   
  
Remus placed a hand on the gates, which opened by themselves without a squeak,  
"Yes, it's a castle. What were you expecting? A modern building full of, what do you call them? Computers?"   
  
She didn't say anything. What _had_ she been expecting at a school that taught magic?   
  
"Are you coming?" During her thoughts, he had walked some way ahead.   
  
"What are we doing next? Am I gonna learn magic?"   
  
"In here," he gestured to a carriage, "Do you always ask so many questions?"   
  
"Yes, it really annoys people; don't tell me you haven't noticed already? So…"   
  
"So, first I'm taking you to see Professor Dumbledore, and then I don't know what's happening."   
  
"What! Why?"   
  
"Because I have somewhere else to be," at her startled look he continued, "don't worry, Orion, they won't bite you."   
  
"So comforting." She groaned, staring out of the window at the scenery, then something struck her, "Where're the horses?"   
  
"There aren't any horses, but they aren't enchanted either. Tell you what,"   
  
"What?"   
  
"If you can find out how these carriages move, tell Professor McGonagall,"   
  
"Who?"   
  
"You'll find out soon, now, am I allowed to finish?"   
  
"Go ahead."   
  
"If you do, tell Professor McGonagall and she'll contact me, then I'll send you a reward."   
  
"Why?" she asked, intrigued. No one had ever said something like that, more likely: if you get the answer, you'll pass.   
  
"Well, why not?"   
  
"Good point."   
  
Orion contented herself with silence for a minute, watching the window and lulling Remus into a false sense of security, and then she started again.  
"What was Mr. Ollivander talking about in the shop? About me going into my Fifth Year?"   
  
A pause, then, "I can't tell you because I don't know what's going on myself."   
  
"Yeah but, what about the four years I missed?"   
  
The carriage was slowing to a halt, effectively distracting her from Remus long enough for him to move and change the subject.  
"Did you know this castle is enchanted?"   
  
"Why am I not surprised?" she commented wryly as they climbed up the worn stone steps, "So, where're we going?"   
  
"To see Professor Dumbledore, in fact," Remus looked at the battered watch on his wrist, "he's waiting in his office now, so would you like to stop gaping or be late?"   
  
"Wha -oh." She's been standing, rooted to the spot, staring at everything in sight, "Professor Dumbledore… he's the headmaster of the school, right? The supreme mugwump?"   
  
"Yes he is and yes he would be. Watch your step." One of the stairs he was leading her up disappeared, and was it her imagination, or were those paintings moving? She shook her head; she had to be loosing it.  
Through corridors lined with flaming torches, past suits of squeaky armour and statues of witches and wizards they went, until stopping before a particularly gruesome looking gargoyle.   
  
"Ice Mice."  
At these words spoken by Remus, the statue came to life; it hopped to one side as the wall behind it, the _actual wall_, split into two, revealing a staircase spiralling upwards.   
  
"Cool, these're kind of like escalators, but I guess their not?"   
  
"Correct."  
They stepped off the staircase to face yet another pair of wooden doors, these ones made of high-polished oak. Remus knocked twice and the doors opened.   
  
"Hello Remus, did everything go all right?" An old man greeted as he got up from a large desk covered in odd things made of silver and gold, things that whirled and whizzed and clicked and ticked.   
  
"Yes Professor, except for a minor disagreement with the Williams, everything went brilliantly." He gave her an encouraging smile, to which she raised her eyebrows, "Orion this is Professor Dumbledore. I hope to see you again one day." As he turned to leave, she caught up with the meaning of his words.   
  
"You're leaving now?" she hissed, gaining butterflies for what seemed like the millionth time that day.   
  
But he left with only parting words of, "You'll be fine." And she was alone.  
Timidly, she stepped forward eyeing the old man warily; it wasn't high on common occurrences to meet someone whose hair and beard were so long that he had tucked the latter into his belt. Instead of normal clothes, Muggle clothes, he wore dark purple robes decorated with gold swirls, his glasses, which were shaped like half moons, perched on top of a long crooked, nose. Underneath the robes, the colours continued in lime green and sky blue bell-bottom trousers and bronze-buckled brown shoes. His face was wrinkled to a degree she'd never seen before, but they added wisdom and age that called for respect without outright commanding it, and blue sparkled within his hooded eyes. Needless to say you couldn't miss the man.   
  
"So you're the headmaster of this school? The supreme mugwump?"   
  
"That I would," he said with a gentle smile, "Would you like to take a seat? I'm presuming you have a lot of questions to ask."   
  
Unnerved, she sat on the edge of the chair before his desk as he sat down behind it. How did he know that?  
"You presume right, how long do you have?"   
  
"How many questions do you have?"   
  
Enough to fill the rest of the day. "A lot."   
  
"Well then, you may as well start asking them, and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge."   
  
"Cool. Well, when I got my wand, Mr. Ollivander said I would be going into my Fifth Year, what did he mean? How many years are there? Why am I missing four?"   
  
"Where would you like me to start?" he smiled, "You asked me quite a few questions just now -is there any one in particular you want me to answer first?"   
  
Orion considered this for a moment, her head holding in more questions than that and thousands more kept pushing their way in, though some were rather obscure, like what's that twirly thing? There were others too, not quite as random, had he known her parents? Did he know what her real last name was? Was this the school her parents went to? How do brooms work? Were there other magic teaching schools? What's a mugwump?  
"No, none in particular."   
  
"All right then: I'll explain as much as I can -forgive me if I leave something out though -you asked a lot of questions.  
"Students that will attend Hogwarts receive a letter in the summer before they start what I believe you call 'Year Seven'. As you noticed, you only received yours this year, which you may blame myself and the Ministry of Magic for -"   
  
"What's that?" she interrupted.   
  
"It's similar to the Muggle government," he explained, "Actually, perhaps I should start at the beginning of the process.  
When every child is born, they are automatically recorded in the Hogwarts Lists if they possess magic, be they Muggle-born or Wizard born, then, when those children in the Lists turn eleven, they receive their letter. Somehow we overlooked yours. It was only a few days ago, by pure luck, that we realised the mistake and I made immediate arrangements for you to be bought here. Any help?"   
  
Orion felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up; something wasn't right, but she couldn't place what. How had they 'overlooked' her? Did it happen often? More questions poured into her brain like water from a tap. Once again the four years query popped up; he'd neglected to mention that part.   
  
"It clears a lot up, thanks, but you never said how I was supposed to catch up on four years of work."   
  
Dumbledore smiled faintly and pushed one of the buttons on a silver trinket; it turned pink. "I don't think it will be too much of a problem, you see, learning anything in a class of more than, say three people, takes much longer than teaching just one or two, because the teacher doesn't have to deal with so many abilities and attitudes."   
  
"Okay." Still -four years in a single summer holiday? Orion looked around the room merely for the sake of doing so. The paintings on these walls seemed to be moving as well, and it looked like there was a sword in that cabinet. "If you don't mind, I have a few more questions, and they're gonna make me sound insane."   
  
He fixed her with an amused stare, "No more insane than I am, I'm sure."   
  
"Alright then; are those paintings really moving? Or have I completely lost it?"   
  
"You haven't lost it, they really are moving. You will find that just about everything in the Magical World moves: paintings, photographs, and even suits of armour.  
"Oh yes, and don't be surprised if a painting talks to you -they get a little bored during the summer holidays."   
  
Orion turned around to point to the cabinet behind her. "Right, now, is that a real sword?"   
  
"Yes it is; Harry Potter pulled it out of the Sorting Hat in his second year."   
  
"Sorting Hat?"   
  
"Ah yes -that reminds me, we have to sort you into a house."  
Dumbledore rose from his seat and walked over to a stool by the door; when he came back he was carrying a rather old and torn looking wizard's hat, "Just put it on your head." He said simply.   
  
Gingerly, she took the tatty thing from his hands and placed it on her head, wondering what could be so special about it as it fell over her ears. A voice in her ear that came from the hat made her jump.  
'What's this? New students already?'   
  
'No.' Orion thought to the hat, hoping it heard.  
Apparently it did hear, because it replied.  
'Ah yes -you're a few years to old to be a new student, but I haven't sorted you before.'   
  
'I know, they missed me out and only just found out their mistake, or something.'   
  
'Yes, I can see that now. I can see everything inside your head -but don't be afraid.'   
  
'Oh.' That was unsettling.   
  
'Now, where should I put you? You've got loyalty -but I don't think Hufflepuff would be your cup of tea.  
"Let's see, talent? Oh yes, like your father -Ravenclaw? Let me just look at everything else first; you're not really into power or domination are you? And I don't really see you fitting in with Slytherin, but you do have a lot of courage here, and bravery, so Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?'  
The hat was having a one-sided conversation about her, talking about houses and cups of tea and her dad, and it was still going.  
'You are a bit wild once you get used to things, aren't you? A bit troublemaker too, I see. Yes, you're not quite the right material for Ravenclaw, you're much more suited to GRYFFINDOR!"   
  
The hat shouted the last word. Carefully, afraid it might fall to pieces at any minute; she took off the hat and put it on the solid oak desk in front of her. Dumbledore seemed mildly pleased with the decision the hat had made, though she didn't know why -what difference did it make whether she was in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Slytherin?   
  
"Well, now that that is out the way, what do you want to do? You'll be starting your schooling tomorrow; I've arranged somebody to show you the way."   
  
"Um, I'd just like to put my things away, if that's okay."   
  
Dumbledore nodded, "Of course that's okay. Professor McGonagall is waiting for you outside, if you just ask her where Gryffindor Common Room is, she'll take you."   
  
"Thank you, Professor." She smiled at him and went to the door, with only a few questions answered and a good thousand more unanswered.   
  
Just as Dumbledore had said, outside his office Orion found Professor McGonagall waiting, she was a stern looking woman, her hair tied back tightly into a bun that gave the impression of no-nonsense at all times.  
Like the older headmaster, McGonagall was wearing robes, although hers were black, and to top it off she wore a pointed black hat and square shaped spectacles. Making a mental note not to cross this woman in a serious manner that deserved punishment, she asked as politely as she could, if she could show her where Gryffindor Common Room was?   
  
"Well I certainly wouldn't leave you here, would I?" she replied, "Follow me."  
Orion followed her back down the enchanted staircase, past the ugly gargoyle, through corridors (all, to her delight, had moving paintings hung on the walls. Some of them said hello and she greeted them back, which they were very pleased about, and some weren't even in their frames but had gone to see some of their friends on other floors, as she was informed by their neighbours.), and up a flight of marble steps until she stopped in front of a portrait of a fat lady dressed in pink, which, incidentally, was entitled The Fat Lady.   
  
"This is the hidden entrance to the Common Room, just say the password and she'll let you in."   
  
On cue, the portrait said, "Password?"   
  
"Summer cheer." Said Professor McGonagall. The Fat Lady smiled and swung open to reveal a luxurious circle-shaped room decorated with plush and overstuffed armchairs, a large fire grate, and a fluffy rug. "You'll be notified when the password changes. When the rest of the school comes you will find out who your House Prefects and new Head Boy and Girl are.  
"As for the Head of House -that's me, the House Ghost, such that he is, goes by Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. You room is up those stairs to you left and is the door with 'Fifth Year Girls' written across. If you need anything, just ask a painting. Sir Nicolas will be here in an hour to take you to the Great Hall for dinner."   
  
And with that she left back through the portrait hole, leaving Orion alone.  
"So, a _ghost_ will be _escorting_ me to dinner in an hour," she muttered dropping her cauldron full of new things onto the floor, "I suppose that's normal for witches. Now, where's that dormitory?"   
  
The dormitory was, amazing. Four-poster beds with hanging curtains, soft, perfect looking covers and blankets that she could just collapse on… "This is so cool." Three of the beds and their cabinets looked occupied, since there were stickers and a few things on them, so, Orion threw her backpack onto the spare bed and threw her self on after it, wondering what on earth she was supposed to do for an hour.  
After ten minutes of staring into space, she went back downstairs and started unwrapping her spell books -if she really did have to do four years work in a one-on-one class, she couldn't exactly hide in the back row since there would only be empty seats in front of her.   
  
"Hello, you must be Orion?" The silvery form of a ghost with a ruffle high up on his neck startled her from Standard Book of Spells, Grade Two with yelp. She nodded slowly.  
"I'm Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, I'm here to take you to the Great Hall since you won't know the way yet."   
  
"Okay."   
  
"Well, should we depart then?"   
  
She nodded, slipping back into her trainers. "Sure."   
The ghost glided through the portrait hole, making her do a re-take, but other than that she found the trip wholly un-eventful -going places with a ghost wasn't as weird as she thought it would be. It was like going somewhere with a living person, except he was a silvery, translucent ghost who glided instead of walked, and went through doors instead of opening them.  
Biding the ghost goodbye, she stepped through to the Great Hall with a small amount of trepidation, who was going to be there? Was she going to have to eat eye of newt?   
  
"Ah, here she is," it was Professor Dumbledore, sitting at a long table full of professors. Orion felt her stomach drop, and, reminding herself that teachers were people too, that they weren't monsters that lived in classrooms and ate little children who didn't do their homework, she edged closer. "Please, take a seat and help yourself!"   
  
Taking the only free seat, by an old looking man with grey hair that, judging by the few glints of colour left, used to be ginger, she sat down tentatively, very aware that she was the only one not wearing robes. The table was laden with food; bowls of carrots and peas and beans and broccoli, platters of chicken wings and legs and gammon and beef, plates of Yorkshire puddings and baby sweet-corn, dishes of roast potatoes and mashed potatoes and turnips. There were bronze plated bowls of mint humbugs and lemon lollipops too, but she wasn't sure what to make of those.   
  
Overall, it was the best meal she'd ever had -with the Williams if she was trusted with cooking a meal it was never very complex, and more than often at least partially burnt, and Cecilia, well, she wasn't much better.  
As the deserts were appearing (literally, the main course vanished after the plates were scraped clean of second helpings) Orion tuned into the conversation around her. She was, apparently, sitting next to Professor Flohasa, and the greasy haired one opposite was Professor Snape. That was who Dumbledore was talking too now, discussing lessons tomorrow; Orion looked up when her name was called.  
"Orion, you'll have first lesson with Professor Snape tomorrow in the dungeons," Dumbledore said, taking a spoon full of rice pudding and adding it to a bowl of strawberry jam. "In fact, here's your timetable that you'll be using for a little while, until you pick your options." With a wave of his wand a piece of parchment written on in red ink was her new timetable. Picking it from the air, she smiled, spared it a brief glance and put it in her pocket.  
"Thanks, Professor. So, you teach potions Professor Snape?"   
  
"Congratulations on learning how to read." He said dryly.   
  
"Thanks! It's one of my biggest achievements!"   
  
Somebody sniggered, though she wasn't sure whether it was at Snape or her. Great, she thought, I have that man every Monday morning, fantastic. Scanning the rest of the week, she noted that there was a double lesson with the man on Thursday as well. Even _more_ fantastic.   
  
Thankfully, the rest of the dinner finished without incident, unless the block of strawberry and toffee ripple ice cream falling onto the floor with a loud splat counted, when Professor Sinatra laughed too hard at a joke told by the exceptionally small Professor Flitwick (were they all Professors?) and her hands flailed about wildly as she tried to control herself.  
When the final chocolate éclairs departed of their own accord, and the last of the strawberries were eaten (a cause too which Orion was pleased to help with), Dumbledore stood up with a clinking of a glass,  
"I believe it's getting late, so, if we all depart to our bed chambers, we shall all be thoroughly rested in the morning."   
  
For her part, Orion didn't feel like arguing, the world had taken on the surreal feeling that it takes when you've eaten a lot and are very tired. Very content and slightly stuffed, she said goodnight to the teachers and wondered out of the hall, and was saved from spending the night lost in the corridor by Sir Nicholas, who was flying by and gave her a direct guided tour back to the Common Room.   
  
"I don't think I've ever eaten so much in one meal before." She told the empty room, picking up Magical Drafts and Potions and One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi as she stumbled back to her new bed (which was looking very inviting), determined to read at least a chapter of each of the books, since it was Potions with Professor Greasy Snape first thing in the mornings.  
After two chapters of Magical Drafts and Potions and 15 Magical Herbs and Fungi, she gave up: the lead on her eyelids was getting too heavy and the call from the plush bed was too much to resist. Three minutes later she was curled up in bed and fast asleep, the sheer enormity of everything that'd happened in the space of under twelve hours having finally taken its toll.   
  
*****   
  
Sirius glared at Remus, "You're lying."   
  
"Why would I need to lie, Sirius? You're being irrational!"   
  
"Then why won't you tell me where you went? If it wasn't anything important, why the big secret?"   
  
Remus had returned to his house half an hour ago, to find a very irate Sirius pacing the kitchen -it appeared that he'd been very worried that Voldemort's forces had caught him.  
"I told you Sirius, I was running an errand for Dumbledore, why won't you believe me?"   
  
"Oh I believe you Moony, but you're still lying. You're missing something out," he grinned, "and I'll get it out of you eventually."   
  
Relaxing, Remus smiled back and conjured a pot of tea, "Heard any news about the headquarters yet?"   
  
"Not a one, but -"   
  
"But? Why is there a but?"   
  
Sirius added a spoonful of sugar to his cup, "What about my house? It's still there," at Remus' sceptical look he added, "sure, it needs a bit of work, and it'll need some Muggle wards placed on it, but it'd be perfect. You've got to admit that."   
  
"Hmm," he took a long drink, "You're right, I suppose. Have you talked to Dumbledore about it?"  
Sirius shook his head.  
"He said he'd drop by some time this week; might as well suggest it to him then."   
  
"Don't forget then."   
  
He scoffed. Living with Remus was good, no worries about rent, but it was like being a student again, with Remus being the sensible, responsible one, reminding him to do things, except then it was to do homework and now it was to talk to Dumbledore about a secret Order's even more secret headquarters.   
  
*****   
  
"I'm just popping out for a little while, dears. Don't you two dare blow anything or anybody up, you hear me?" Mrs Weasley pointed her wand at Fred and George, "Understand me?"   
  
A chorus of 'yes mum' and 'yes Mrs. Weasley' rose from the assembled children. Satisfied that most of them would at least try to do what she said, she hugged each in turn and Apparated with a crack.   
  
"Where do you think she's gone this time?" said Ginny, eyeing the piece of cake George handed her suspiciously.   
  
"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione exclaimed, "She's gone to a meeting for the you-know-what."   
  
"Hermione, will you just say it?"   
  
"We heard mum and dad talking about the Order, and I bet that's where she's gone now, for a secret get together with some other members." Ron explained triumphantly, pleasure written in his expression at being the knowledgeable one over his siblings.   
  
"Wicked."   
  
"Do you reckon they'll let us join?" said Fred hopefully, stroking his wand wistfully, "I could really blast some of those Deatheaters."   
  
"I doubt it," said Hermione,   
  
"Why not?" Harry had stood in silence, content to listen to the others talk, but now he wanted to know why they couldn't help in the fight against Voldemort and his followers, especially now when so few believed in his return, surely Dumbledore could use everyone who was willing?   
  
"Because we haven't even finished school yet -there's no way he'd let any one until they've left Hogwarts."   
  
"Stupid idea if you ask me." Ron muttered.   
  
"So!" cried Fred, "Who's up to testing the Weasley Wizard Wheezes latest products?"   
  
"We've got Extendable Ears, great for listening in on conversations others don't want you to hear; Skiving Snackboxes, which are still experimental but very useful as soon as school begins for ducking out of lessons!"   
  
*****   
  



	4. Chapter Four: Hiding Houses

Disclaimer: see chapters one and two -last time a note will be posted about disclaimers, unless something new crops up.   
Author: Lani  
E-Mail: lanirhys@aol.com  
Authors Notes: *dances* a couple more reviews! Right, Sirius and Dumbledore in this, and plenty of Harry in Chapter five (when it gets written *muah ha ha*) so don't give up yet.  
  
**Review Responses:**  
**Xia Sarrasri:** Hmmm, yeah Ron's ear do seem to be kinda stuck in The Pink Position... poor bloke gets embarrassed a lot, though, doesn't he?   
Thanks for pointing out there's errors in 1 & 2, probably 3 as well, lol, I've gone back and fixed most of them... but if you (or anyone actually) spot more, tell me please.  
  
**LadyJen1:** **giggles** you like? S.H.I.T. was just me being weird... so i'm glad you like it! Here's the next chapter!  
  
**kirsty:** if a few years ago you told me i would be writing 'absolutely fantastic' hp fics what would i say? well i'd say you were off ya rocker mate! as for what i'd say now... i'd say; you've been reading other peoples stories and thinking they're mine again! silly!   
  
Now! On with the story!   
_

Please R/R! :)  


_   
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
**Chapter Four**   
  
_Looking back on how it was   
In years gone by   
And the good times that I had   
Makes today seem rather sad   
So much has changed   
  
Yesterday Once More, The Carpenters_   
  
Sirius gazed at the house he hadn't seen for over fifteen years, and realised how much he'd missed it -this was his home, the one he'd lived in before -(his brain automatically swapped tracks) -the one he wanted Harry to live in, instead of with those Muggles that hated him.  
"It looks a bit, run down, doesn't it?" he commented dryly.   
  
"That's an understatement."   
Indeed it was, the roof had four holes in it, only half a chimney and no window panes without a crack or hole, the door was rotten, like the window edgings, and the grass was so tall and wild that he didn't even want to think about what was living in the grass, let alone inside the house.   
  
"Age before beauty, Yesy; so you better go first."   
  
Yesy frowned, pulled a face, and pushed Sirius forwards, "Your house, your mess: you go first."  
Stepping with exaggerated purpose, he trod between the weeds that had ravaged what; fifteen years previously, had been a path to the front door.  
"Aww, what's the matter? Big, bad, auror 'fraid of my house?"   
  
"Yes I'm absolutely terrified, now will you get on and open the door? I'd like to have something done by the time Dumbledore gets here." Extracting herself from a bush of thorns, she continued, "What's got you so happy anyway? Where's the brooding, seriousness gone?"   
  
He placed a hand on the doorknob, waited a moment, and pushed it open with a hard thrust before replying, "I made a promise to Harry a couple of years ago that he could come and live with me when I was cleared, but since that didn't happen, I couldn't. Now I'm getting my place back anyway, so he can still come -what's there not to be happy about? He won't have to live with those Dursleys anymore."   
  
"Sirius, you know they give him protection, even if they don't realise it, protection that can't be equalled just by the wards here."   
  
"I know," he said, "That's why we're having more wards, more spells, more enchantments -they may not be exactly for Harry's safety, but they may as well be, think about it Yesy -Muggles won't remember seeing this place, every time they come by they'll have to be somewhere else, it's Unplottable, and Dumbledore said that if we do make this the headquarters," he whispered the last word even as he closed the door behind her, "there will be a Secret Keeper, so it won't matter about the others, because nobody will be able to find it anyway."   
  
"You've really thought about this, haven't you?"   
  
He grinned in response, picking his way over the dust-matted floorboards and avoiding the curtains. Truth was, even if this wasn't going to be the headquarters, which it probably would anyway, he'd still have as many wards and spells placed on the house as possible: there was no way that Deatheater's would invade his home again.  
"So where do you want to start?"   
  
"How about we work from here out? Starting with those." She gestured to the pair of curtains hanging over the hallway window: they used to be red, but were now closer to brown and had a lot more holes. "What do you think is in them? I doubt it'll just be dust and moths."   
  
"Doxies?"   
  
"Who knows? On three. One," she raised her own wand, "Two," Sirius raised the wand he'd borrowed from Remus for the day, "Three."   
  
There were, in fact, a lot of Doxies living in the curtains, and they were not happy about being moved. Within seconds of shooting sparks at the curtains, dozens of blue, very annoyed, flying things were coming at the pair.  
One hour, and many, many, Doxies later, they stopped coming, and the curtains were now free, but still very dirty.  
"Where next?" he asked, wiping his forehead and dropping the final intruder into a bucket they'd magicked up, "The living room? There's bound to be some fun things under the sofa."  
  
  
"Like the bogey man?" she laughed, following behind him with the bucket.   
  
Two Boggarts, three strange things, thirty Doxies and one living room later, Dumbledore arrived with Moody, the former of whom looked amused at the dishevelled appearance of the two full-grown wizards.  
"I trust you have been having fun?"   
  
"Didn't you leave any pest control, Black?" Moody growled, his magical eye swivelling in every direction.   
  
Sirius levelled the older man with a glare, "I wasn't planning on not coming back; it's not like I had anything left anyway." he added to himself, so low nobody else heard.   
  
During the uncomfortable silence that followed, Dumbledore ate a Mint Humbug and whistled Jingle Bells.  
"It will need a bit of a clean out, but I believe you were right, Sirius." The Hogwarts headmaster turned to Moody, "You don't see anything suspicious?"   
  
The eye twisted and turned faster than before in its socket, "No."   
  
"Well," he said, "Let's begin."   
  
***   
  
Morning stretched lazily over Hogwarts the next day, the grass glistened and the sky was crystal blue, promising a hot day inside the castle as well as out.  
Inside the Gryffindor Tower, Orion woke up feeling refreshed and confused, it took a few moments for the memory of yesterday to catch up and filter through, but when it did, she grinned from ear to ear. After brushing and tying back her air and dressing as fast as she could, as well as pulling on her new school robes, she was down by the portrait hole within ten minutes.  
"Do you remember the way to the Great Hall?" The Fat Lady asked.   
  
Orion nodded, reciting the turns Sir Nicolas de Mimsy-Porpington had shown her twice yesterday,   
  
"Well go to breakfast then -you've got your first lesson in an hour!"   
  
Down at the Great Hall, there were only a few teachers eating, the rest, she presumed, were still in bed, though Snape should probably have been there since he had his first lesson in an hour too.  
Once again, the table was covered in bowls and plates of food: porridge, bacon, tomatoes, sausages, fried bread, toast, jam, marmalade, cornflakes (which weren't stale), and more goblets of pumpkin juice. Helping herself to a bowl of milk and cornflakes she sat in silence, until McGonagall came in five minutes later and sat opposite.  
"Remember to take you potions ingredients down to the dungeons; here are a set of directions from Gryffindor."   
Orion took the piece of parchment, reading through the instructions on how to not get lost.  
"Thanks, Professor."   
  
Wherever Snape had been at breakfast, it didn't stop him from being present and correct in his lair of dank and dinginess when she arrived.  
It took her all of three minutes to realise what she hadn't at dinner the night before -Snape was in a permanent foul mood, as in, all of the time.  
"Kindly pay attention, we have a lot of work to do in a very limited amount of time. Using the ingredients on the board," he waved his wand, and a list of ingredients appeared on the blackboard, followed by a set of instructions, "I want you to make this potion, no dawdling, no stalling, and no dilly-dallying about: get on with it."  
She also learnt that he was a man who got straight to the point.   
It wasn't too bad; a lot of it was making sure to read the instructions absolutely right, and making sure you did exactly what they said, down to the second -it was like causing a reaction in chemistry.   
  
"Hmm," he said, nearly an hour later, "What does smooth mean to you? Because this," hr stirred it around distastefully, "is not smooth, it is more like eight-month-old milk."  
Orion mentally pulled faces at the greasy haired slime ball. It was not like eight-month-old milk, it had three bubbles on the surface.  
"Homework is a one foot essay on this potions uses, advantages and disadvantages. Clear up and go: this lesson is over."   
  
Not wasting any time on leaving, Orion was out of the dungeon and half way back to the Common Room before anyone could say the alphabet backwards.   
  
"Note to self," she muttered, putting down her potions things and picking up the books she would need next, "Sabotage Snape's desk with something that smells worse than his cupboards."   
  
The rest of the day didn't go too badly, though in Transfiguration it took her two tries to change the match into a needle, and by the end of Charms she was sick and tired of swishing and flicking and what not, but overall, by the time lunch came around, she was starving, and ate three slices of pepperoni pizza, two goblets full of pumpkin juice, and a sausage roll.   
  
History of Magic was by far the most unusual of subject, being that a ghost called Professor Binns taught it. It was also the most boring of the four lessons: Binns only had one tone of voice and he just kept going and going and going… until Orion felt her eyelids droop. And that was only five minutes into the lesson.  
"…Class dismissed."   
  
Orion jerked awake with a start -the lesson was finished, and her notes consisted of 'History of Magic. Goblin Wars.' When Binns glided back through the wall, she tidied up her things slowly, praying that he wasn't the pop quiz giving type, or she was done for, because she had nobody to copy notes from.   
  
*   
  
Orion collapsed into a burgundy, overstuffed armchair, throwing her hair over the back. Dinner with the teachers had been much like it had been the night before, except Dumbledore wasn't there, and this time she knew four of the teachers and the fact that one of them was dead. Did all wizards and witches leave ghosts? Were her parents floating around somewhere?  
Snape was still as unpleasant as before, possibly more so, although it could be possible that the frown was permanently attached to his face from when the wind changed when he was a toddler, since it never seemed to lift or in any way change.  
"So, I'm a witch now." she said to herself, "Well, a witch-in-training any way."   
  
There was one problem with being the only student in the school that she realised at dinner, when McGonagall reminded her about the homework.  
She couldn't fob the teachers off with excuses and hope they forgot during the course of the lesson with the other students, because she was the class. She couldn't say her dog ate it either, because they knew she didn't have a dog. This in mind, she set to work on the Potions essay, however dreary the task seemed.   
  
The next day went just as well as the first, as did the rest of the week, apart from Herbology, in which she was doing badly. Orion just couldn't get her head around all the different plant names, their habitats and their habits. The teacher, Professor Sprout (who, in her opinion, looked rather green and plant-like herself) kept saying that it'd all make sense soon, but after some time, with the information still going in one ear and out the other, both doubted it.   
  
A few weeks into the holidays, she was presented with the problem of choosing her options, two or three were recommended, and of course the professors were glad to pass on their opinions on each, but, eventually, Orion chose them using the time honoured method of making a list and randomly jabbing her finger onto the page -her finger landed on Care of Magical Creatures, then Study of Ancient Runes, then Divination. Hagrid, the gameskeeper and teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, wasn't there, so an old witch taught it instead, but Divination was fun, despite the stuffy room, because she got to predict her death and give herself various maladies and injuries for homework, which seemed to impress Professor Trewlany (whom Orion nicknamed Professor Wispa-Inja for that reason and that she barely spoke above the volume of a whisper). In Ancient Runes, after a somewhat rocky start, she found the entertaining side of the subject and managed to make several portraits and ghosts laugh by writing her own, very short, mini-scriptures, much to the Professors non-amusement, after he read one about himself and the shiny billiard ball that was his head.   
  
Two days before term was due to start, had Dumbledore decided that she deserved a day off, having not really had a summer holiday, and done very well in her studies with only a few more lessons to go, which she would have to do after normal, Fifth Year lessons were finished for the day.  
As such, she was meandering round the castle, testing for more secret passages to add to her collection -she'd found a shortcut to the North tower, where Divination was held, and a few more around the castle that came in handy on days that she was running late. Right now, she was on a search for the kitchens -the portrait on the second floor hinted that it was down this corridor with the bowl of fruits, so here she was, staring at the bowl of fruit occasionally poking it.  
Five minutes of poking later, and she got it right and the kitchen was revealed…. full of little things. Little things called House-Elves; they had pointed ears and were wearing neatly pressed pillowcases with an 'H' printed on the backs.  
"Hi."  
They rushed up to her in hoards, asking if there was anything she needed, anything she wanted several minutes later, laden with chocolate éclairs and bananas, she backed towards the exit.  
"No, I've got plenty, thanks… no you're all right, I've really got to go."   
  
And she was out, munching on the chocolate éclairs and tucking the bananas into her backpack. There was one thing that she was keen to do, but had yet to have a chance, and that was to booby trap anything she could, playing pranks was something she got letters sent home for that she actually deserved: nothing dangerous, but a few big things that the headmistress hadn't found amusing, like the water balloons and buckets of flower, and the kippers hidden underneath her desk (she thought it was under there for two weeks, but they'd been there for over three).  
There was one small problem with placing tricks around the school, and that was a certain four legged fiend going by the name of Mrs. Norris. Mrs. Norris was Filch's (the schools caretaker) henchcat and was probably psychic, in Orion's opinion, because wherever something happened, like when Peeves (the very annoying, very devious, and extra mischievous poltergeist that inhabited and terrorised the school) pushed over a suit of armour a corridor down from where Mrs. Norris was, barely minutes later Filch appeared on the scene and started ranting and raving at Peeves. It didn't affect him in the slightest, but it was still amazing how fast Filch got there.  
So, the key was to place tricks and things in cat free zones, and out of cat eye-sight or smell range.   
  
By lunch, several objects were placed about the school, but the majority were hidden in the Gryffindor Common Room, for example the first person to sit in the large, soft, armchair closest to the fire would find an uncomfortable noise erupting from below them.   
  
Prankster obligation filled, Orion returned to wandering aimlessly around the school, occasionally pushing on tapestries and walls, in-case they weren't walls at all, only pretending to be and were actually doors, and every know and again, when the mood struck, she would tap the odd statue, but to no avail. She did, however, find herself the Trophy Room, and it made her jaw drop.  
The entire rectangular shaped room was lined with shelves and cabinets to the extent that barely a wall was visible and only one window survived; peeking out above the top of a mahogany backed cabinet like the lone survivor of a wreck.  
Gold and silver and bronze glinted everywhere, reflecting the sun that sneaked through the window and the flames from the torches: there were shields, trophies, plate sized medals and medallions… all engraved with little, and almost miniscule writing in some cases, stating the names and years of every winner. There was the Quidditch Cup, which Gryffindor had won for the last three years, but it hadn't been held last year; and the House Cup that Gryffindor was doing very well with, for the last four years. Then there was the Special Services to the School, but the last time it'd been awarded was two years ago, to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, both in Gryffindor (were there even other houses?).  
One award that caught her eye was Most Detentions Received, that'd only been handed out once, over twenty years ago, to The Marauders & Co. with a total of one thousand, seven hundred and eighty nine.   
"Wow," she whispered, eyeing it appreciatively. That was a lot of detentions! "Go team Marauder!"   
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
Post A/N: This isn't a Mary Sue, y'see what Dumbledore said in ther earlier chapters about smaller classes equalling quicker learning is actually true! Honest! I had to stay behind afterschool for an extra Physics lesson to keep my friend company 'cause she'd missed the first 2 topics, and also because i suck at Physics, and we covered over 6 weeks of work in a little over 2 hours.   
  
Now, please tell me what you think! Reckon I should stay away from fanfiction forever? Tell me! Think i should never write again? Say it in a review! Think this idea is completely crap? Review it! *muah ha ha ha haaa* ( 


	5. Chapter Five: Birthday Surprises and Sur...

Author: Lani  
E-Mail: lanirhys@aol.com  
Authors Notes: so in payment for getting reviews last time, i get no more? none at all? oh well. i had to re-write parts of this 'cause i kept changing my mind over certain, uuuh, aspects.... **shut up lani shut up!**   
*muah ha* harry galore! 9 pages on my word program with real small margins!   
  
_

Please R/R! :)  


_   
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
**Chapter Five**   
Harry was fifteen today. He knew that, but with the Dursleys it was as if he'd never been born (which was how they'd have preferred it), therefore, in all the thirteen years he had previously spent with them his birthday had barely been acknowledged, if at all. So, it was no surprise that, on July 31st, he awoke with no great anticipation of presents or parties, rather the dull realisation in the back of his mind that he was another year older.  
Obviously, he was quite startled when, upon opening his eyes, a very familiar red head and female friend popped into his blurry vision.  
The first thought that came to his head was Voldemort, he must've attacked -that was the only reason they could be there.  
"Ron? 'Mione? Whasrong?"   
  
"Nothing's wrong! It's your birthday, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, passing him his glasses, which he accepted gratefully.   
  
"It's eleven thirty! How could you sleep in so long today? Don't tell us you forgot!"   
  
"Uh," he blinked as the room came into focus, finding two grinning faces beaming down at him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that now it was definitely nothing to do with Voldemort -otherwise they would certainly not have been grinning. Unless he had been killed by some freak accident, like being trampled by a herd of stampeding elephants or something in his sleep, which, of course, was extremely unlikely though not at all unwelcome in Harry's view.   
  
Ron ordered, "Get dressed quick!" and pulled Hermione from the room, leaving him to find some clothes and with his strange thoughts and visions of Voldemort under a stack of purple elephants.  
Caught between amused and bewildered, Harry went about foraging for clothing. After digging under Ron's bed for a pair of socks, and tightening a belt (he really should get new clothes one day) so that Dudley's ridiculously large trousers didn't fall down around his ankles the minute he stood up, Harry edged out of the bedroom into the cramped hallway, where Ron and Hermione were still grinning.   
  
"What's going on?"   
  
"Come on!"  
They proceeded to pull him down the stairs as fast as possible, without one or all of them ending up in a heap at the bottom of the stairwell.  
Several landings later, they reached the ground floor of The Burrow, and Harry found himself being blindfolded and guided round and round in circles (being now thoroughly confused, he doubted whatever was happening involved pinning any tails on posters of donkeys) until a door was opened, the blindfold lifted, a shout of 'surprise' and Harry found himself the star of a surprise party.  
Not being able to help the reaction, not that he wanted to, he grinned the biggest grin of all his life thus far. He'd never had a party before.  
In front of him, all wearing brightly coloured party hats, stood Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Ginny and Professor Lupin.   
  
"Happy Birthday, Harry."   
  
All he could do was stand, stare, and grin stupidly.   
  
One by one, he received gifts, birthday presents, from everyone except Professor Lupin, and quickly realised he was blushing worse that a bride and giving Ron's Best Blushes a run for their money. After having cut a large, chocolate covered and fudge filled birthday cake topped with fifteen candles that sung 'Happy Birthday' out of key and sounded remarkably like Robin Williams, from that movie Mrs. Doubtfire, Harry was gestured outside to the back porch by Professor Lupin.   
  
"Snuffles said have a great birthday and that he's sorry he couldn't come -Dumbledore doesn't think it would be wise for him to be out in the open too much now and wouldn't let him come. Anyway," he reached into a pocket and resized a brightly coloured rectangle, "this is from both of us."   
  
"Thank you, Professor."   
  
"Call me Remus: I'm not your teacher anymore, Harry."   
  
Harry nodded, not entirely sure he would be able to do that right away. Instead, he ran his fingers over the stripy red and silver paper, carefully pulling it off whatever was concealed inside.  
A leather bound album. A photo album, entitled 'This Was Us, Then'. Turning to the first page, he found a photo of Sirius, Remus, and his mum and dad smiling up at him, sitting in the Gryffindor common room.  
"You've got one of your parents after Hogwarts, but you didn't have any of us at school, when we were your age, so…"   
  
"It's brilliant Profes, Remus. I love it." Page after page of his parents; of Sirius; of Remus; of a few who he didn't recognise… and not a single one of Wormtail.   
  
The rest of the day was spent doing random things: playing Quidditch, apple bobbing, and many other things, which included pinning a tail on a dragon (not a donkey), and so much food that Harry wondered how long they'd been planning this, and where they'd hidden everything. All in all though, he didn't have a single complaint -for one day Harry was just Harry. And that was how he liked it.   
  
Falling into bed later that night, and exchanging 'g'nights' with Ron, Harry was asleep minutes after his head hit the below. For the first time since the end of his fourth year, the end of the TriWizard tournament, Harry slept contentedly, dreaming of flying motorcycles and laughter.   
  
*   
  
The end of the summer eventually arrived, however much Ron and Harry wished that it would just repeat in a magic time-loop, and so, the day Harry dreaded and loved was less than twenty-four hours away (dreaded because now he had his OWLs and loved because, well, it was Hogwarts.), and August the thirty-first was upon the world.   
  
Ron groaned, opening the door to his room with a punch and a sharp kick, "Mum says we've got to start packing our trunks, unless we want snails for dinner."   
  
"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked, throwing open his trunk and searching for belts in haste.   
  
"You know Hermione," said Ron, "She packed -"   
  
"Last week, when we bought our things." Hermione already sat cross-legged on Ron's bed, "Honestly, do you two leave _everything_ until the last minute?"   
  
"Yes." They answered in unison, causing Hermione to shake her head.   
  
Ron threw in his books, glaring at her, "Are you just going to sit there and watch us pack?"   
  
"Yes." she said simply, "What are those?"   
  
"These?" He held up a set of robes of the darkest blue.   
  
"Yes, those dress robes, where did you get them?"   
  
Ron grinned, folding them neatly and placing them in his trunk, "Fred and George gave 'em to me, I checked for hexes and curses for ages, but I couldn't find any. And no, I don't know where they got the money: they won't tell me."   
  
Harry kept his mouth shut, knowing full well where they got the money. After winning the TriWizard Tournament last year, he hadn't felt like keeping the thousand galleons prize money -too many bad and unhappy memories were attached with it, as well as the guilt that he was alive and Cedric was dead, and since Amos Diggory and his wife also refused the prize money, he gave it to Fred and George to start their joke shop with, as long as they promised to buy Ron some new dress robes.  
"I guess you don't know either, Harry?"   
  
"Not a clue," he lied, "Have you seen my Standard Book of Spells? I can't find it."   
  
Ron reached under a pile of t-shirts, "Here."   
  
"Thanks."   
  
Ten minutes later, when everything was packed and ready for the next day, Mrs. Weasley called for Harry and Hermione -they had letters.   
  
"Wonder what they are?" Ron mused, following her down the flights of steps, "We had our school lists ages ago."   
  
"Just don't become a prefect Harry,"   
  
"I don't think our poor hearts could take _another_ one spending the summers with us."   
  
Fred and George had emerged from their bedroom; grim looks etched into their identical faces as they clutched their hearts in pain.   
  
George gasped in pretend heart spasms, "You wouldn't want to be responsible for our deaths would you?"   
  
"How could you be so heartless?"   
  
Mrs. Weasley fixed the pair with a look to freeze the Sahara desert and passed Harry and Hermione their letters with pride.  
They _were_ from Hogwarts.   
  
"Oh holy -"   
  
"Ron!"   
  
Held in their hands were two shiny, silver, prefect badges.   
  
Harry shoved the badge in his pocket, whereas Hermione was looking very thoughtful, holding the badge like it was the Queen's Crown Jewels.  
"You know what this means," she said, "We'll have enforce the school rules, be model students -"   
  
"Hermione," Ron cut in, "You already _are_ a model student."   
  
"Well, yes, but -"   
  
"No buts about it, you always have been,"   
  
"And always will be." Harry finished, having finally extricated himself from the stunned reverie he'd momentarily fallen into.   
  
Fred and George were still staring at him slack-jawed; finally, they managed to stutter,  
"How, how could you?"   
  
"You promised!"   
  
"Traitor!"   
  
"You two can set the table! Go!" she said, pointing a finger to the table threateningly.   
  
*   
  
"Are you two going to get up? Or am I going to have to owl the school and say you were too lazy to go?"  
Mrs. Weasleys voice rang through Harry's subconscious like a gong at midnight. Groggily, he threw his hand out to find his glasses and cast the cover off reluctantly.  
Ron was also dragging himself from dreams, and by the sounds of it, he wasn't overly happy about it either.  
September the first had finally rolled around, the air outside was grasping at the autumn season, holding a faint mist above the ground.   
Fishing a trainer from underneath Ron's bed, they walked in sleepy silence down the staircases, joined shortly by equally quiet Ginny and Hermione.  
In the kitchen sat Fred and George eating scrambled eggs on toast, Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, and two women that Harry had never seen before.  
One had blonde hair cut short around her face, and the other brown hair falling to just above her shoulders.  
"Nice of you to join us, I'm Arabella Figg, but if you call me that I may have to hex you, so just call me Bella, and this is Yesminda Beyan." The brown-haired woman, Bella, said when they entered.   
  
"Yesi, only my mother calls me Yesminda."   
  
"They're here to take you to Platform nine and three quarters." Mr. Weasley explained,   
  
"It's a dangerous world now." Yesi said, accepting the slices of toast offered.   
  
"You mean you think Voldemort might attack," said Harry simply, noticing how Ron still flinched at his name.   
  
"In a word? Yes."   
  
Hermione awoke from her stupor, "He hasn't done anything all summer, why would he start now?"   
  
"How do you know he's been keeping quiet?" asked Bella, "By what you've read in the Prophet?"   
  
Everyone, save Mr. and Mrs. Weasley nodded; their mouths full of either scrambled eggs or orange juice.   
  
"Don't believe everything you read, kids." Yesi said, looking at the latest paper disdainfully, "According to their articles, Dumbledore is a crackpot not suitable to teach at Hogwarts, or even give his opinion. Do you believe that?"   
  
The unanimous reply was "No."   
  
"So why do you believe that Voldemort has done nothing but sit on his butt all summer?"   
  
Harry blinked when she said Voldemort's name, but, when he thought about it, if they were in the Order like he suspected, it would make sense for them not to fear saying it.  
Meanwhile, Hermione was agreeing with Yesi and Bella, Ron was talking to Fred and George in excited, hushed tones that Harry couldn't quite make out and motioning for Ginny to come over, they continued to speak some more, a little cloud of red haired children; when they reached a decision, they turned to Bella.  
"The Ministry are telling them what to write, aren't they?" said Ron expectantly, "I mean, for a few days the Prophet was reporting on the suspected return of You-Know-Who, and they just completely changed their views, like all of a sudden."   
  
"Good to know you lot notice things, at least you're not staring blind at your connection to the Wizard World," Bella smiled, "and to answer you question, yes, basically. Fudge decided that you, Harry, must be, I believe his words were 'delinquent juvenile looking for attention'?"   
  
"Yeah, I think that was it." Yesi supplied.   
  
Harry groaned, "He really doesn't like me, does he?"   
  
"No, not really: he likes you about as much as he trusts Dumbledore."   
  
"So not at all then?"   
  
Yesi beamed, "Got it in one, Harry."   
  
"Now, where was I?" Bella continued, not looking bothered at the sidetrack the conversation took.   
  
"Fudge." Ginny offered.   
  
"The Prophet." George said, as he started on a second helping.   
  
"Oh yes, Fudge told the Prophet that Dumbledore was not to be trusted or listened to, and that all articles had to be approved by the Ministry before they were printed."   
  
"Don't forget the extras -about how wonderful everything is and how the economy hasn't been effected by the rumours." said Mr. Weasley dryly, "Now, I bought everyone's trunks down last night and shrunk them," he pulled out six miniature trunks from his robes, "And by the sounds of it, the taxi's are here."  
Sure enough, there was an angry honking sound from outside.  
Mrs. Weasley went into override mode immediately, muttering about talking too long as she ushered everyone into jackets ad pushing another piece of buttered toast into their hands and bags with their lunches,  
"Come on! We don't need you all missing the train!"   
  
Five fun-filled minutes later, during which Fred and George, somehow, managed to sneak two suspicious looking boxes under their coats whilst Mrs. Weasley was shepherding Ginny into one of the taxies, and Crookshanks through a tantrum inside his basket. In the end, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Yesi and Mr. Weasley went in min-bus like taxi, and Ginny, Fred, George, Mrs. Weasley and Bella went in the other.   
  
"Are you an auror?" Hermione asked.   
  
Yesi smiled, "Yes, so's Bella, and we all hate Fudge, so, we can all get along together."   
  
The rest of the trip was uninteresting; Mr. Weasley started talking about telephones, avidly asking Harry and Hermione about them, and whether or not they thought it would be a good idea to buy one in the future; then he moved on to plugs, and Ron buried his head in his hands.  
Bella went through to Platform Nine and Three Quarters first with Hermione and Ginny, then Yesi and Mr. Weasley with Harry and Ron, and at last, Fred and George with Mrs. Weasley.  
"Have a good year," she said, hugging each one of her children, "And don't get in any trouble," she looked pointedly at the twins, "or looking for trouble." As she hugged Harry and Ron, then Hermione, "Study and listen to your teachers -OWL's are important."  
A quick symphony of, "Yes Mrs. Weasley." and "Of course mum." before excuses were made and they all disappeared, leaving the adults to watch.   
  
"Do you really think You-Know-Who is going to attack here, with so many people here?" Ron asked as they loaded on their fully re-sized trunks.   
  
"No," said Harry, "But they think Deatheaters might, I bet."   
  
"I suppose."   
  
"Speaking of nasty things," Hermione motioned to behind Harry, where Draco Malfoy was sneering at them, his usual two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, at his sides.   
  
"I'm surprised you're here, Potter," he sniggered, "aren't you afraid that the Dark Lord will find you."  
The three friends gripped their wands.  
Harry didn't hesitate in his retort -he'd had enough of Malfoy's arrogance, and this year he wouldn't take any of it,  
"The only thing that frightens me, Malfoy, is your face. Besides, I thought the common thinking was that I'm a liar, Dumbledore is a crackpot, and that Voldemort isn't back. Or does your dad give you inside information on his master?"   
  
Malfoy glared daggers, and the living boulders behind him cracked their knuckles angrily, "You aught to be careful what you say, or else -"   
  
"Or else _what_, Mr. Malfoy?" Yesi had emerged from the crowd so seamlessly that none present even noticed when she arrived. Malfoy said nothing, merely sneered again, turned up his nose, and stalked off.   
"Hmm, just like his damned father." she commented as the trio tucked their wands away. "Now, would you three kindly get on the train?"  
The whistle blew right at that moment, and Fred pushed open a door behind them calling,  
"Are you getting on, or what?"   
  
*   
  
As they collapsed into their trademark carriage, the scarlet red steam engine started to move, and they were on their way to another year at Hogwarts.   
Harry couldn't have been happier: the only downside to being back at school was the homework that could never be dodged, and detentions that he would inevitably receive through one-way or another. On the upside, there was Quidditch, Hagrid, the massive feasts and Frequent Naps, also entitled History of Magic.   
  
The train ride quickly dissolved into games of Exploding Snap, snacking on sweets and debating what Ron might ask for, because he still hadn't decided, and was still feeling guilty about the money issue.  
It wasn't long before Neville nervously peeped around the door into their compartment and timidly requested if he could sit with them, because the others were full. They, of course, obliged, only to watch the round-faced boy jump up a moment later,  
"Trevor!" His pet toad croaked angrily from his back pocket, after being sat on and nearly squashed to death, Harry didn't blame it, and jumped onto the floor by Hermione's feet.  
Ginny was the next late arrival, having spent a few hours with her age-mates, she felt it was time to sit with her other friends, and closer to a certain boy of her dreams. She also had a message for Harry and Hermione,  
"They want you two in the Prefects carriage for ten minutes, something about passwords…"  
Harry rose slowly, not entirely sure if all these Prefect duties were a good thing -he didn't want to have to be going to meetings when he could be practising Quidditch or messing about with Ron.   
  
Thankfully, it didn't last long -literally, all that happened was that the Head Girl and Boy gave Hermione and he the password for Gryffindor Tower, and a 'well done' for being made Prefects, and they left -only to see a certain Draco Malfoy swagger up to the compartment with Pansy Parkinson, both already in their school robes and both proudly showing off their shined-to-optimum-shininess Prefect badges.  
Harry grabbed Hermione by the arm and left as quickly as possible without smashing into anything, muttering under his breath, "That's just not right -you know he's going to use the power to be horrible to every other house."   
  
"But there's nothing we can do about it, Harry, so just breathe, please?"   
  
They thumped back into their seats, quickly filling all present in on the new password and terrible turn out of events in regard to Malfoy. Ron was disgusted, and expressed so in several words not appropriate to be repeated, and which made Hermione reach over and put a hand over his mouth.   
  
It was at that moment that lunch was announced by the rattling of four small wheels and two click-clacking feet.  
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" said the elderly witch that pushed the food trolley stacked with delicious sweets like Cauldron Cakes, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs and Pumpkin Pasties. Knowing full well that Ron had a bottomless pit in place of where his stomach should be, and that he, Harry, did enjoy anything sweet (he, personally, blamed a certain tooth), he bought at least five of everything on the trolley, to supplement Ron, Hermione's and his Corned beef (actually, Ron had Turkey) sandwiches.  
When Neville was munching on a Pumpkin Pasty, and Ginny on an Ice mouse, and while Harry was partway through what tasted like a broccoli bean, Ron finished his fifth part of his meal (so far it consisted of two Cauldron Cakes, one Ice mouse, and two Turkey sandwiches)  
"Where're those Chocolate Frogs? Pass us one Neville, cheers… It might be Agrippa, I still need her…"   
  
"Honestly, Ron."   
  
"What?" he asked his mouth now full of a Chocolate Frog.   
  
"_Manners_."   
  
"Why? _I'm_ not a Prefect, and anyway, how else would you eat a 'Frog? With a knife and fork, or what?"   
  
As was predictable, the entire compartment burst into uncontrollable bouts of laughter, either at what Ron had said, or the Look Hermione sent his way.   
  
"Come on you two," said Ginny when she managed to regain her breath, "Don't start bickering now -school hasn't even started yet. Give Harry a chance, at least."   
  
Harry decided to add his own two pence worth, "Yeah, give me a chance."   
  
"You do get at each others throats sometimes." Neville piped up.   
  
Any further admonishments or arguments were cut off Ron choking on the Chocolate Frog.   
  
Several hours, games of Exploding Snap, Gobstones and I Spy later, a voice reverberated around the train, "Arriving at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in ten minutes."   
  
And none of them were in their school robes. Oh dear, thought Harry. The problem was easily solved, the girls left the carriage while the boys got changed, and the boys obligingly waited outside while the girls switched clothes.   
  
The train pulled to a stop in the station with a muffled 'thud', and Harry made his way out.  
Another year with Snape hating him because he and his father hated each other. Things could be worse; the evilest and most dangerous wizard in the world could want him dead.  
Oh wait, he did.  
He shook his head, since when did he get so sarcastic anyway?   
  
"Harry?" Hermione questioned, "Are you alright?"   
  
"I'm fine," he looked up above everybody's heads, expecting to see the large form of his friend Hagrid, who was actually a half-giant and not so big simply because he swallowed a bottle of Skele-Grow when he was a kid (as Ron had thought), only to find that he was strangely missing. Harry blinked and re-checked, however unlikely it was that he had missed him, but only found Professor McGonagalls pointed hat instead.   
  
"First Years this way!" cried Professor McGonagall, holding a lantern aloft, "First Years over here!"   
  
The trio looked at each other, all thinking the same thing but not actually voicing it until they were in a carriage with somebody they didn't know.   
  
"Where is he?" asked Ron, "You don't think…" he trailed off, realising they were in unknown company.   
  
"I don't know," Harry shrugged. The 'hope he's alright' was a given. Now he had Hagrid to add to the least of people to worry about -as if Sirius wasn't enough, what with being an escaped ex-convict who was facing the Dementor's Kiss as soon as he was re-captured, which involved having your soul sucked out. Not pleasant. Now he had a missing Big Friendly Half-Giant to add to his list too. As well as the OWL's. _Fun._   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
Post A/N: *muah ha* it was the Prefect thing i couldn't decide on -first it was hermione and harry, then it was hermione and ron, then it was hermione and neville, and then it was hermione and ron.... until i decided on a later part of a certain plot and stuck with hermione and harry.  
waddya think? like it? hate it? indifferent to it?   



	6. Chapter Six: Feasts and Dreams and Suspi...

Author: Lani  
E-Mail: lanirhys@aol.com  
Authors Notes: aaaah i'm back at school *oh joy* and, as my teachers like to say _every darn lesson_ i have GCSE's this year, *double joy*... ooo reviews YAY!!! **dances and hands out virtual cookies to all the reviewers**  
**charlie:** lol, the plot is there.... it's just obvious to anyone without my mindmap of later chapters... it's sort of like a mystery story at the moment. but, i do see your point.... so i'll try and speed it up a bit.  
**Delphi:** Look! See! More!  
**kirsty:** stop being so lazy wonder woman and skip to the chapter you've read! oooo you like the characterisations? **jumps up and down doing the mighty danger mouse dance** YAY! I was pretty worried abou dumbledore and snape especially so i'm very happy now **nods, whilst grinning manically** :D  
  
  
_

Please R/R! :)  


_   
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
_We walk down the street of dreams  
A thousand doorways open there  
A thousand voices sweet and clear  
Emotions felt with a passion  
Never felt before   
  
Street of Dreams, Damned_

  
  
**Chapter Six**   
  
Orion sat in the Great Hall waiting for the rest of the school to arrive with abated breath. She hadn't been nervous until McGonagall announced they'd all be arriving in a matter of minutes: it was all her fault, she reasoned, rubbing the bridge of her nose nervously.  
What if they were all really boring? What if they were all really smart type and didn't know how to have any fun? What if- The doors bursting open interrupted her thoughts and the sounds of hundreds of children walking on hard stone echoed round her hearing at the same time as a mass of black robes filled the doorway and spilled into the Hall, splitting up into four sections for the four house tables.   
It wasn't long before they'd all sat down and everybody, especially all the other Gryffindor's, were staring at her or pretending not to and whispering to each other.  
Orion groaned. It had begun.  
  
"Hullo, what's your name?" A voiced beside her asked.  
The boy, whose black hair seemed like her hadn't bothered to brush or comb it in any way for a very long time, was looking at her curiously, not like she was the gum he stepped in.  
"Orion, what's yours?"  
  
"Harry." No need to explain the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing now, he thought, she probably already knows.  
Orion, however, didn't say anything and just smiled.  
"I'm Hermione," said a girl with very bushy hair.  
  
"And I'm Ron, who're you?" Ron was sitting next to Hermione,   
  
She blinked.  
"Orion. Didn't I just say that?"   
"Well yes," said Ron the redhead, "but you're new right? You haven't been here for the past four years, so who are you? Where've you been? Are you a transfer student?"  
She stared at him blankly, if she hadn't here, wasn't it obvious she'd been somewhere else?  
"Well done, I haven't been here for the last four years no, I congratulate you on your observation skills, and do I sound like a transfer student?" she said sarcastically, "I was 'overlooked', or something, and they only realised that sometime around when the summer holidays started, so they sent me a letter and somebody to pick me up, and before I knew it I'm learning magic as a witch.   
"Now that's my life story. What's yours?"  
  
Before Ron could answer, McGonagall walked in followed by a line of rather nervous looking First Years. A three-legged stool, placed on the raised platform where the teachers table now was by Snape, played host to the ragged and aging Sorting Hat that sorted her when she arrived at Hogwarts.  
When all were gathered and the Hall was silent the Hat burst into song, singing about the four houses, how they were once united, and needed to be again if history wasn't going to be repeated.  
Having never heard the hat, or any hat, sing before, Orion was clapping loudly along with the rest of the school when it was finished and taken a mini-hat-sized-bow at the tables.   
Dumbledore rose from his table and the Hall fell silent -the aged headmaster had that sense of presence that commanded silence, whose voice could carry with little effort.   
"Since the end of last year, the Ministry has been denying the 'rumour' that Voldemort has returned with its every breath, as has the Daily Prophet. I will not insult Cedric Diggory's memory; I stand by what I said before the summer holidays and what I have been saying throughout the past weeks: Voldemort has been bought back to power. He will, undoubtedly, be looking to attempt another take over of the Wizarding World again." he paused as numerous students cried out and or gasped, letting the words sink in. "He, and his followers, will be spreading discontent at every opportunity; it is for this reason that we must strive to nurture bonds between Houses, and encourage ties with other races and schools. We made a start last year with the TriWizard Tournament, I hope that, as a school and individually, you will, at least, not discourage them." he finished with a soft smile, "Now, I know I am feeling very partial to a plate of Yorkshire puddings and mint humbugs, as I am sure you all are -dinner is served!"  
With a clap from Dumbledore, the tables filled with food (including mint humbugs and Yorkshire puddings) and every student made a grab for the nearest platter.  
  
Ron, having entirely forgotten about Orion's request for his life story in the face of Dumbledores suggestion that they all get on with each other, which in turn meant the Slytherins and Malfoy, was now gawping at the said table in disgust. "Get on? With them? That man's not just insane, he's off his blimin' rocker!"  
  
Harry nodded in full agreement, waiting for Hermione to add her opinion, but she was preoccupied -busy staring at Orion and he and shaking her head.  
  
Orion noticed it too: she kept looking at Harry, looking at her, then looking into a space between and above their heads, looking very thoughtful… and it was beginning to get on her nerves.   
"Something wrong?"  
  
She paused in eating her piece of chicken, "Excuse me?"   
  
"You keep looking at me, and it's annoying the hell out of me, so could you quit it please?"   
  
Hermione smiled, "Sorry, there's just something that I can't put my finger on… it's bugging me."  
Ron laughed and Harry spluttered into his pumpkin juice,  
"We've only been at school for a few hours and you're already thinking?" he said disbelief evident.  
  
Hermione shrugged, still smiling, and Orion groaned inside, Hermione sounded like the smart-arse know-it-all of the class already. Things weren't looking good.  
Despite this she didn't catch her looking again and settled into a conversation with Seamus about Quidditch, which she was still learning about, and then Dean interrupted saying football was better… the dispute went on until the end of the feast, eventually Orion gave up following how much better football was than Quidditch, and how Seamus couldn't understand how kicking one ball around a pitch on the ground was interesting.   
  
When the end of the feast came Orion felt well and truly stuffed, the world was becoming slow and distant like it does when one is very tired. Blimey, thought Orion idly, it's hard work doing nothing. She trudged along, trying to look amused at some joke a girl called Lavender was telling, but it was hard because the joke wasn't very funny and because it wasn't very funny. Oh no, I'm repeating my own thoughts! Nevertheless she took her cue to laugh and Lavender grinned. As they walked past a torch the fire glinted off something shiny straight into her tired eyes, she grimaced and found the source of her temporary semi-blindness to be a badge on Hermione's robes. Lavender caught her looking and said,  
"Hermione's Prefect, well no surprises there. She'll probably be Head Girl in our Seventh Year too -she knows everything and anything!"   
  
Orion nodded and followed her up the stairs to their dormitory, noting that Hermione didn't follow, rather was directing the First Year's to their new dormitories ("Boy's up those stairs to your right, girls to your left.").  
Parvati and Lavender set about sorting out their nightclothes, removing make-up and chatting mindlessly about some article about a Facial Conceal Charm in some magazine called 'Witch Weekly' that was, apparently, totally unreliable. Orion tuned them out and buried herself under the covers, drifting off to sleep, not noticing that Hermione didn't come up after issuing the directions.  
  
_A man and woman smiling.  
Then there was crying and just a woman. She cried all the time; Orion wished she'd stop.  
Laughter rumbled through the scene, a group of men, all dressed in black and all wearing masks.  
The woman screamed and staggered to the floor, horribly still.  
The men left, still laughing.   
The woman lay still forever, and Orion hoped she was still alive but couldn't move to check -she was frozen in place ten feet away. Finally, a millennia or six later, the woman shuddered, arose, clutching something to her chest that Orion hadn't been able to see before and staggered down a set of stairs and out of the house, half-crawled, half-walked through alleys and back-streets until she saw the destination. A hospital.  
The woman fell hard to the ground not three yards from the doors.   
Orion watched from her position as paramedics and doctors and people rushed to the scene.  
The thing in her arms screamed. A baby.  
_   
Orion awoke with a start, soaked in sweat and entangled in drenched she sheets, throwing them off, she lay back down and fell back asleep within minutes to barely remember anything the next morning.   
  
*****   
  
Harry sat by the hearth pleasantly stuffed from the feast he'd just enjoyed and watched Hermione direct the new Gryffindors in the right direction. She was doing it fine by herself, so there was no need to move from his very comfortable position.  
Besides, it wasn't like there was any question that she would be a Prefect, and it was pretty obvious she had no objection doing the job. He yawned loudly; right now he wanted to go to bed.  
"Harry."   
  
Maybe not.  
"Hermione?"  
  
"Didn't you notice?"   
  
He was supposed to notice something?  
"Uh…"   
  
"Hermione, it's the first day of term, our brains aren't in gear yet." Ron said from his seat opposite with only one eye open.   
  
She huffed, "Ron, your brain is never in full gear. If your brain ever got into top speed, you'd probably die of shock that you were learning something."   
  
Both eyes now fully open, Ron glared at her, "Speak for yourself -"   
  
"What were you going to say, Hermione?" Harry cut in quickly, knowing his friends temper.   
  
"I was asking if you noticed."   
  
"Noticed what?"   
  
"How similar you and Orion are."  
He gave her a look that said, quite clearly, that he had no idea what she was talking about and when he exchanged a confused look with Ron, it was apparent that he was thinking the same.  
"Don't tell me you didn't see it?"  
  
Ron grinned, "Alright then we won't."   
  
"Just, look tomorrow, Ron, okay?"   
  
"Will you stop going on about it if I promise?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
A response was quickly sounded from Ron of, "I promise."  
There was peace in the kingdom again.   
Harry rose from his seat, and, in answer to their questioning glances said he was tired and going to bed.  
Ten minutes later Ron came up too, distracting Harry from the photo album he had received from Remus and Sirius.  
"You're getting obsessed with that, mate." he observed, flopping down next to Harry.  
  
"I'm not obsessed: I'm interested."   
  
"Oh, well that's a whole other story."   
  
"Shut up Ron."   
  
A voice came from behind Seamus' curtains, "Yeah, shut up Ron -some of us are trying to sleep."   
  
Harry got his invisibility cloak from his trunk and made a gesture to the door. He no longer felt tired, and he needed some questions answered, or at least asked aloud.  
Quietly, they left the dormitory; the cloak tucked under Harry's robes and the photo album under his arm, and edged down the stairway.  
Fortunately, only Hermione was left in the Common Room, reading a book by the fire.  
The cloak wasn't needed after all.  
  
"Hey, Hermione."   
  
"I thought you were both going to bed?"   
  
Ron shrugged, "We lied. Oh, and there's Harry's latest obsess- interest."   
  
Harry mock-glared at his red-haired friend, sat down in the same chair he had occupied not fifteen minutes earlier, and flicked through the album.  
"I really need to talk to Sirius."   
  
"We know that, Harry."   
  
"No, more than before." He pointed to a photograph of his parents with Sirius and a girl they didn't know. "She's in loads of these photos, but nobody has ever mentioned her."   
  
Hermione and Ron exchanged puzzles expressions. The latter asked, "So?"   
  
"I think she's important."   
  
"Why?"   
  
"I don't know." He frowned, turning pages and pointing out more photos, "She and Sirius just seem, kinda, together."   
  
"So? Harry," Hermione said, "Sirius is allowed to have girlfriends -especially since that," she pointed to the photo on the page where said couple were holding hands, "was probably about twenty years ago."   
  
"I know, it's just… this is different. This is Sirius."   
  
She tried a different tack, "Harry, what are you thinking?"   
  
Shrugging, he gestured to thin air. "Like I said, I don't know. It's just a feeling I have -maybe she was a Deatheater, or something."   
  
"You get Deatheater from a few school photos? You're being paranoid."   
  
"Yeah, Harry, don't you think that if she was a known or highly suspected Deatheater, she wouldn't be in the album?"   
  
"Yeah, I suppose, but I still want to send a letter to Sirius," he paused, thinking, "and Professor Lupin, since he helped put the whole thing together."   
  
"And he was there then?"   
  
"That too."   
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
**_Post A/N:_** Hmmm don't know if I like this chapter, but i couldn't think of many ways to get it all out, and i hate writing dream scenes too... mainly cause i suck at it, lol.  
I feel rather obligated ( to say something... this fic is gonna be long, lol. very long. Like, about 30 chapters long i'm thinking, 'cause i've planned up to chapter 11 on paper, and there's still so many things to do and that's only part of a sub-plot, let alone the actual plot which is, uh, a secret.   
Just thought i'd give you all fair warning, lol. So this story is going to be a long-time in finishing, what with school and my other stories and new obsession (Andromeda), lol.   
--Lani xxx 


	7. Chapter Seven: Points and Family Lost

Authors Notes: So, um, yes -long time no update. It's not like anybody is reading this, but i like writing it so :P  
Review Thank Yous-  
_Darienetta Stoke:_ Dari, just remember i'm a very busy girl! I got my non-calc math gcse on the 11th!  
Please R/R! :)   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
**Chapter Seven**  
  
When the moon was waning and the entire Gryffindor Tower existed in the blissful hour or two when everybody residing inside was asleep, Harry tossed and turned and twisted violently in his four-poster bed, trapped inside a nightmare.  
With a start he awoke, sweating and shivering, his breath coming in short gasps.  
They were getting better, as far as his nightmares went. He hadn't awoken to screams, only to discover they were his own, and from the snores that filled the room, he hadn't yelled out during said nightmare either.  
On his rating, it equalled about a five out of ten.  
Clambering out of bed and putting on a tee shirt and his glasses, Harry mused that it probably didn't bode well for his sanity that he rated his nightmares, and that at the beginning of the summer, when everything was so fresh and raw, anytime he finally gave in to his exhausted body's order for sleep, the ensuing nightmares rated twelve.  
Harry rubbed his scar absently; the now constant ache was a background irritation that he could more than live with, but it was still annoying and a constant reminder that the entire Wizarding community was in dire danger.   
  
*****   
  
Orion awoke entangled in sheets and upside down, and being half asleep and still not quite thinking, she rolled over fully intending to have just another five minutes in the comfort of her bed, but instead promptly landed with a 'thump!' on the floor.  
A head full of very bushy hair that defied gravity stuck out from another bed, "Are you alright?"  
It was Hermione.   
  
"Yeah," she struggled out of her entangled mess, glaring at the offending items, and muttered, "I've really got to stop doing that."  
Hermione disappeared for a minute then reappeared dressed for the school day; now completely awake, thanks to the tumble, Orion mused that either she was very fast changing or was already doing so, and followed the example of getting dressed.  
The painful sound of tearing and sleepy chatter greeted her when she came out again, the sources: Hermione was brushing her hair, and the talking was from the chatterboxes of the class.   
"Having a hard time there, Hermione?"   
  
She grunted in reply and tore the brush out in disgust.  
"Every morning it's like this!"   
  
Orion laughed and began her own unpleasant hair ordeal -she's forgotten to plait it last night, and now there were some very nasty knots that wouldn't have been much of a problem, had her hair been much shorter than it was. It was these times that she seriously considered cutting it short. Knowing, however, that she would regret it if she did, Orion opted for option B.  
"Anyone want to come to the bathroom with me? I've got to sort out these tangles, and I really don't want to deal with pain this early in the morning since we've got Snape first."  
Lavender and Parvati shook their heads, which threw her off in a nice way. No annoying chatter. The said girls, of course, owned magical hair products that made their hair perfect for however they might want to style it the next morning.  
Hermione sighed, "Sure, it's worth a try."   
  
**   
  
Orion walked with Hermione to the Hall, having finally managed to de-knot her hair and return Hermione's to its day-time frizzy-ness. She wasn't that bad, Orion had decided, but there were some definite markings of a Smart-Assed-Know-It-All. After several rips and hair dunks in water to loosen the knots, the pair had fallen into a semi-relaxed conversation, in which Orion responded to Hermione's probing questions about what happened during the summer by calling her on it and making her ask the questions directly -it saved time and made the confusion a lot less.  
The pair entered the Great Hall amongst a crowd if Ravenclaws but disengage and joined their own, very noisy, very lively, Gryffindor table with ease.  
Ron paused in his eating long enough to greet Hermione before returning to his previous engagement; Harry took a longer break between mouthfuls of porridge to say "Morning" to both of the girls.  
It didn't take long for the new fifth year timetables to filter through the table to their respective owners.  
"Oh no."  
Neville, who was sitting next to Dean, paled and pushed away his breakfast still looking balefully at his timetable.  
"Potions with Snape first thing on a Monday morning; I'm never going to pass!"  
Hermione gave him a comforting pat on the arm from across the table before returning to her timetable and breakfast. Harry and Ron, also realising what Neville had, looked at the offending timetables with varying degrees of extreme disgust.  
Orion, who watched this with amusement, finished her mouthful of porridge, and said, "I know Snape's a greasy arsehole, but why d'you hate the Slytherins?"  
The conversations around her halted unnervingly quickly, Ron's mouth opened and closed, his eyes bulging comically wide, he much resembled a startled goldfish, and he didn't seem to be able to get a word out.  
Harry swallowed hard, blinked, and managed to recover first.  
"Ha-Have you met a Slytherin?"  
She shook her head.  
"Just imagine younger-personality Snape's! He is the Head of their House."   
Having been visualising a shorter, pimply faced, greasy-haired Snape, Orion laughed. Then she realised what they said and grimaced.  
"Seriously?" she asked.   
  
"Seriously." said Harry.   
  
"Oh damn, not good." Suddenly she didn't feel so hungry anymore, with a slow purposeful motion she put down the spoon and pushed away the half-eaten bowl of porridge. Ten minutes later, having finished a goblet of pumpkin juice she said, "Come on, we can't put it off the inevitable." She pulled Neville to his feet, "If Snape is nasty, I'll stick up for you."   
  
Neville smiled, then faltered,  
"No wait! If you talk back you'll get into trouble! Gryffindor will get into trouble!"  
Orion smirked, pulling him out of the Great Hall laughing to their Common Room to pick up their Potions things.   
  
"Neville, I've been getting into trouble on and of for along time, and if I lose points for sticking up for a friend, then so be it. If other Gryffindors are angry at you and me for that, well they aren't worth being called a friend, or even the time of day really. Think about it, at the end of they day, you chose your friends, and the good ones -they'll still be there at the end of the day."  
He looked uncertain for a moment, and then he grinned as he clambered out of the portrait hole.   
  
"Thanks Orion!" She gave him a lop-sided smile, following him to the dungeons whilst talking about Slytherins. Actually, Neville did most of the talking; with a little prompting he told her all about the horrible things the Slytherins had done and said about various Gryffindors. By the time they'd gotten to the lesson Orion realised the snake-house just weren't nice people at all. They were nasty, spiteful and laughed at the misfortune of others -particularly if those others were in Gryffindor.   
  
After arriving in the dungeon classroom with a few minutes to spare, Neville had a chance to point out a few key Slytherins: there was Draco Malfoy (a slick-blonde haired boy with a sneering face), Crabbe (a boulder-type boy), Goyle (another boulder), and Pansy Parkinson (some random pretty, prissy girl that was hanging onto Malfoy's arm). They certainly didn't look like a pleasant lot. They definitely looked like Snape's lot. Then the Potion's master himself swept into the room, his greasy hair hanging in place and his cloak billowing behind him.  
Silence fell immediately, no request was needed -he was one of those teachers who didn't need to work for silence and bellow over conversations.   
  
"This year you will be taking your OWL's, you will be working harder than you have before. If you don't achieve at least an A you will not be accepted into my NEWT class -I only accept the brightest -obviously I will not be seeing most of you next year." He looked pointedly at the Gryffindors. "Now, here is a potion to render its drinker speechless for an hour if not given the antidote. I will be marking your potions at the end of the lesson."  
Ingredients and directions appeared and the class began their task.   
  
The potion wasn't as hard to make as it was intricately complicated -she nearly ruined the whole thing completely two steps into its making when she was almost added hair from the mane of a lion before the saliva of a dying gorilla.   
Half-way through, when she had been trying very hard not to listen to Harry's conversation with Ron and Hermione behind her about Snuffles, which sounded with an animals name, except that they were talking about Snuffles like it/him/her/whatever was a person, Neville whimpered with despair and spooned at his potion mournfully.   
  
"What's up Neville?" she asked.   
  
He gestured to his cauldron, "It's not supposed to be bright purple, is it?"  
While everyone else's were varying degrees of pale purple, his was so luminous it was practically giving off ultra-violet light.  
She felt her eyes widen before she could dampen the reaction, "No, no it's not. How'd you manage that?"   
  
"I don't know -I put in the dandelions, then the cats nails."  
Neville closed his mouth abruptly when Snape looked briefly in their direction, but to their relief he did something highly unusual and went back to praising the Slytherinns.   
  
"How many cats' nails did you put in?"   
  
"I dunno, two, I think. Yes, two cats nails and ten dandelions."   
  
"Neville you only needed to add one cat nail!"   
  
"Oh dear." he stirred the potion fretfully, "Can it be fixed?"   
  
Orion thought for a moment: potion making was a bit like making cakes (minus the burning she inevitably caused when she cooked anything), and when she did something wrong in Food Tech, like add too much of one ingredient, the teacher had told her to just add the rest again -you'd have more than originally planned for, but it'd turn out fine. Perfect. Turning to Neville she smiled brightly,  
"No worries -try adding all of the other ingredients again, except fot the cats nails, right? Add everything except the cats nail and it'll be fine!"   
  
Unfortunately, at that precise moment, Snape chose to pay them a visit, and couldn't fail to miss the astonishing colour of Neville's not-quite-fixed-yet potion.  
"Well, well, well; we're not even through the first lesson and already Longbottom has proved that he will not be attending my NEWT class, or even getting a C in his OWL's. Congratulations Longbottom, but tell me, were you born stupid, or was it something you learnt as a child?"   
  
Neville said nothing and the Slytherins sneered.   
  
"I'll take your silence as a yes. I think we'll test your potion with the entire class watching, yes -"   
  
"Why don't you let him fix it first? Then he'll have learnt the potion and how to fix it if he does it wrong again another time. What you're suggesting is stupid."  
During the interruption the Professor had gone a dangerous shade of crimson, and if she hadn't been so caught up with wondering what he was going to say next, she would have been musing about how many people had interrupted him ever, how many people had called him stupid, and if they'd lived to tell the tale.   
  
"Excuse me." It wasn't a question, "I believe I am in charge of this lesson Miss Taylor, not you. Ten points from Gryffindor for your severe lack of manners, now, shut up and get on with your potion or I'll make it twenty and a detention."  
Orion, however, was remembering her promise to Neville and didn't move, and silently prayed to whoever might be listening that she wouldn't be killed for what she was about to do.  
"No, I won't shut up."   
  
"What?"   
  
"No, because if you think humiliation is the way to teach then I know you're really wrong. Wouldn't it be better to teach people how to correct their mistakes?"   
  
The classroom had gone eerily quiet. The Slytherins were horrified, the Gryffindors, well she wasn't sure what they were thinking and it was a bit late to turn back now.   
  
"Miss Taylor you will be quiet now or I shall take more than the thirty points you have just lost and give you more than the weeks worth of detentions you have just earned." Snape peered at her over his big nose, casting a glance to Neville who was now rather pale, "And if you say another word at all this lesson, Longbottom will be joining you."   
  
The reaction, although somewhat slow, finally kicked in and she sensed that now would be a good time to keep her mouth shut, especially since it would get Neville into trouble as well, which she didn't want.  
When she didn't say any more and he was satisfied that his point and authority had been made clear, Snape moved on to criticizing the rest of Gryffindors potions (hers was too thin). Bearing in mind Snape's threat, she managed to not speak for the rest of the lesson even though she sorely wanted to tell the eyes that she knew were staring at her to go away. It did make her feel better when she saw Neville smile meekly at her, she nodded in reply, and he added the rest of the ingredients again. It appeared that through her tirade, Snape had forgotten about Neville's potion disaster and Orion figured she had one up on the slime-ball, until she was proved wrong. He still tested Neville's potion first and it worked, but Gryffindor lost another five points anyway for a reason that he did not elaborate on.   
With everything packed away, the bell rang a minute late, the Slytherins went past pulling faces and the Gryffindors, well they surprised her by not being angry. In fact, they were grinning at her. Maybe they were cooler than she gave them credit for? Ron, especially, looked like he'd just won the lottery.  
"That was bloody brilliant!"   
  
"Wow."   
  
Orion grinned; this new school really wasn't as bad as she'd thought as she walked with them back to their Common room.   
It was on the way there that she remembered the interesting conversation of the animal personified, and while she was staring at the back of Harry's head, the tugging sensation that she'd seen him before. Regrettably, she couldn't run up to the trio and start asking questions, because she, Ron and Harry and most of the other Gryffindor's had Divination at the top of the North Tower in five minutes with Professor Wispa-Inja.   
  
***   
  
Mrs. Weasley flicked her wand at a scrubbing brush that had been laying motionless on the kitchen table and it came to life -dipping itself in a bucket full of water that was on the floor and beginning to move furiously over a small patch of the table until it began to glisten through the dust and grime, before consequently moving on to the next patch.  
"Want a cup of tea, Yesy?"   
  
"Oh yes -that'd be brilliant, Molly -milk and one sugar if you would."  
Yesy pulled up a kitchen chair and practically fell in to it, "God this place is a mess -most of the windows on the upstairs landing have been blown out!"   
  
Mrs. Weasley handed her a steaming mug and sat down opposite, "How's Sirius?"   
  
"Avoiding the Nursery," she frowned, "I'm beginning to think we shouldn't let him go up there at all -he just stares at the burn marks on the door from the stairs, won't go any closer. Remus is worried about him."   
  
"I can't imagine what he must be thinking -if I lost any one of mine, let alone all of them, and Arthur too... I wouldn't know what to do."   
  
Yesy nodded, "I don't think he does either, he just knows he wants Harry here and away from the Dursleys and Voldemort and all his Deatheaters dead."   
  
"You don't think he'll do anything stupid?"   
  
"Who knows with Sirius? At least at the moment he's off the Ministry's radar -Pulipcity has seen to that for us… but at the rate Fudge is going, there'll either be a new Minister or whole new departments soon. He's getting paranoid about people plotting against him because he refuses to believe Voldemort is back -says there's been no evidence of it so it's obviously another 'cock and bull' story invented by Harry and Dumbledore to steal his power and bring the Wizarding Community into panic." Yesy explained, between swallows of tea.   
  
Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows, "No!"   
  
"Yes, so Voldemort can plan and plot as much as he likes without interference from the Ministry because he doesn't exist."   
  
***   
  
_"Jess, she's gorgeous."   
  
"Do you want to hold her?"   
  
He shook his head, "I'll drop her!"   
  
"You won't," she held the bundle of blankets out, ever so gently, to him, and placed her into his arms. Sirius didn't dare to move for fear of dropping their baby and Jessa laughed at him.  
"What do you want to call her?"   
  
"Anything but Severus." And he was deadly serious about that point too.   
  
"Okay, Severus is vetoed. What about Capella?"   
  
Sirius pulled a face, "Veto. Faith?"   
  
"Why don't you want to name her after a star? I thought it was a family tradition?"   
  
"She's too special to just be another Black."   
  
The baby in his arms, still nameless, opened her eyes and cooed at her father._   
  
Sirius shook himself from the memories. They were dead, that was the past.   
  
They were dead. That was the problem.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
**Post A/N-** Kay, so not much Harry in this chapter, but there should be lots in the next chapter.   
*GASP* Sirius has a past? Other than jokes? Cor blimey, who'd've figured? ;)  
--Lani xxx 


	8. Chapter Eight: You're going wrinkly Harr...

Authors Notes: Bloody hell! SIX pages in ONE day! FOUR reviews! **giggles** That's why i wrote so quick! Count yourselves lucky too -i skived off school to revise for my math gcse and ended up writing this ^__^ Surprisingly enough it was more fun that inequalities, gradients and histograms :|  
**Review Thank Yous**-  
_Lady Beriaron:_ Is Orion Sirius' daughter? Who knows... ]:P  
_Mel:_ alright, alright! suppply and demand, right? you demanded... i supplied ;)  
_InsanityReturns:_ **blush** thanks :)  
_Utuku:_ Finished? Are you kidding?! its gonna be like, 30 chapters! at least! Oooer, you like Orion? *phew* i'm glad you said that 'cause i've been really worried that she might not go down well, and i really didn't want her to be a Mary-Sue!  
  
**OOer -since there will rarely be updates this quick, i'm making a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update -just leave your e-mail address in your review =)**   
  
Please R/R! :)   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
**Chapter Eight**   
  
Walking to Divination, Harry talked quietly with Ron about the letter he'd send at break.  
"You're still going to send it? I mean, I never thought I'd say this, but it's _just_ a girl!"  
Harry gave him a look,  
"Alright then, she is _just_ a girl, but she's in a _lot_ of those pictures, so if she is _just_ a girl, then she must've known them all quite well by their seventh year… then where did she go? She might've been helping Wormtail, and that's why Snuffles never mentioned her."   
  
"You really are paranoid aren't you?"   
  
"I'm just interested."   
  
"Right, interested. That's what I meant, mate."   
  
Professor Trewlaney's classroom was hot, humid, and filled with incense everyday of the year -whether it be freezing cold winter, or sweltering summer.   
Today was definitely no different, Harry noted as he clambered up the ladder; some things, apparently, would never change.  
Settling on to one of the poufs, the rest of the class soon filed in and the elusive Professor emerged, still covered in shawls and dainty bracelets, and her glasses still enlarged her eyes to an alarming degree so that she looked akin to an owl.  
"This year, class, you will be taking your OWL's -those of you blessed with the Inner Eye will have no problem with the examinations, however, there are a few who will need to study, to clear their mind and awaken their Inner Eyes' beforehand, or I foresee they will not do well."  
Harry raised his eyebrows at Ron and Seamus.  
"Today, we will return to Palmistry, please pair up and open your books to Palmistry, stage two."  
Flipping through to the right page, he and Ron moved to a corner.   
"Okay, I'll do yours and you do -"   
  
"Um, guys? Can I go with you?"   
Orion was standing beside them looking sheepish, "There's nobody left and Trelawney said I should make a three with you."  
Harry smiled and made room for her to sit on the pouf his legs had previously been resting on.  
"Sure, if you read Ron's, Ron, you read mine and I'll read yours?"   
  
Ron grabbed Harry's hand, a wicked grin on his face,  
"Alright, then…" he stared intently at the hand, the grin faded, "I see a whole bunch of lines." he muttered, looking at his book, "It must mean you're going wrinkly, Harry."  
She couldn't help but laugh with them.  
"What d'you see in my future, Orion?"  
She took his hand, studied it and seemingly deduced absolutely nothing, because she looked at her book, looked back to the lines, back to the book and,  
"I see that you're life is going to be cut short at 33, your love life is going to be non-existent and any job you might want, you'll never get." She smirked. "Just kidding. From all these lines, I can tell that you drew on your palm the other day and the ink hasn't come out yet."  
Ron yanked his hand from her clutches, glaring at her,  
"You're not funny you know."   
  
"I don't know, so there. Harry, what's in my future?"   
  
Harry looked at her palm, which she had oh-so-thoughtfully drawn a face on at some time, "I foretell great happiness and a grinning face with a tongue sticking out."  
They laughed a bit too loudly and the misty teacher made her way over, taking Harry's hand in silence. A few moments she gasped and put her hand to her head, apparently feeling faint.   
  
"My poor boy," she whispered, "You have the direst of fates ahead of you." Lavender and Pavarati's mouths were agape, "The direst of fates… I will not speak of them, my poor, poor boy…" she trailed off, letting Lavender and Pavarati guide her to her chair.   
  
Harry and Ron glanced at each other, a smile on each of their mouths.   
  
"Is that common?" asked Orion,   
  
"More than you know." he muttered, "She's been predicting my death since our first class, but I'm still alive. McGonagall says she does it with every new class, a sort of welcoming lesson."   
  
"Death, nice." She eyed the Divination teacher who was now flapping her hands in her face trying to cool down from the hot faint feeling she must've got from predicting Harry's fatality, then, "Oh hey, question! Can animals talk?"   
  
"Not that I know of." Said Ron,   
  
"Right. Well then, I've got a bone to pick with you two, well three actually, but Hermione isn't here so you'll have to suffer my wrath alone."  
They looked at her like she was insane. "Why?"   
  
"Well, it's just that in Potions you were talking about a Snuffles like a person, but it sounds like an animals name."   
  
Harry's mind raced, because in no way could this be good -in Potions they had been talking about Sirius/Snuffles, and he'd completely forgotten where he was.  
Was this the price of having a convicted murderer, who was actually innocent, as a Godfather? Apparently.  
To lie or not to lie?  
Lie.  
"Snuffles? He's a stray dog in Hogsmeade that we give food too and stuff."  
Oh great Harry, real great.   
  
Orion said nothing, but nodded and they continued to make up fortunes for each other, by the end of the lesson each had gained several grievous injuries by their twenty-fifth birthdays, had and lost fantastic jobs, and been in several battles with fits of laughter.   
  
*   
  
It was Lunch, and after finding Hermione, Harry and Ron dragged her from the Great Hall with only five minutes of Lunch inside of them.  
"What?" she cried as they marched silently to a quiet spot, "What's so urgent?"   
  
"Orion heard us talking about Snuffles!" they said together, once assured that nobody would hear them.   
  
"When!"   
  
"In Potions -she was asking us about it in Divination!" said Harry.   
  
"And she asked us if dogs could talk." Ron added.   
  
Hermione's face visibly fell; she looked just like Harry felt. If somebody found out about Sirius… they were all going to be in trouble, especially Sirius, what with the Minister of Magic still being after him to put him back in Azakaban. Harry really didn't like Fudge, Sirius was innocent and when they'd tried to tell the Minister so in his third year, he hadn't believed them and got ahead in ordering the Dementors Kiss, a kiss that would've sucked the soul straight from his Godfather's body, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind.   
Thankfully, Dumbledore listened _had_ to them, and Sirius, and given Hermione and he the helpful hint of using the TimeTurner Hermione had been given earlier that year. They'd saved Sirius and a Hippogriff called Buckbeak that'd been due for execution; much to the Ministers dismay, and to top it off Professor Snape had been livid.  
"What did you say?"   
  
"That Snuffles was a stray we fed in Hogsmeade,"   
  
"Did she buy it?"   
  
"I think so, it's hard to say."   
  
"Does she know what Hogsmeade is?" Ron said,   
  
"Good question."   
  
Hermione sighed, "Maybe she won't say anything else."   
  
"Yeah, maybe." A group of Ravenclaw's walked past, chattering loudly, they didn't pay any attention to the three Gryffindors huddled in the corner.   
  
"We'll just have to be extra careful then. No talking about Snuffles."   
  
Harry nodded, agreeing with the choice. "Come on, we'll be late for Transfiguration."   
  
The trio, new resolve in mind, walked swiftly to their next class, arriving in time to take their seats and get their wands and books out for the assuredly difficult lesson. They were not disappointed.   
By the end of the lesson Harry's pot looked nothing like a flower, unless there was some rare type yet to be discovered that had a bulky, slightly flower shaped, brown stem, and ugly lighter brown-might-be-red if you look at it from this angle in that light, flowers. The leaves were the same colour as the stem.   
Ron's was worse, Neville's was like Ron's and McGonagall said they would try again next lesson.   
Their homework was to study theory; nobody missed Orion's shoulders sag at the words.  
Apparently she'd done a lot of theory lately. Harry peeked over the desks to get a look at hers, the stem and leaves were greener than Hermione's, the flowers looking much redder than his, but it still looked like it used to be a flowerpot.   
  
It was Defence against the Dark Arts next, the anticipation built in his stomach. In each of the four years he'd been to Hogwarts they'd had a different teacher for this subject, and out of those four, two had wanted him dead, one didn't actually know anything about the subject, and one had been brilliant but left because he was a werewolf and everybody found out when Snape 'accidentally' let it slip at breakfast. There were rumours that the job was cursed.   
Harry thought they needed a better selection process, but then again, there were other rumours that there was nobody willing to take the job _because_ of the rumour that it was cursed, so Dumbledore didn't have much choice with the selection.   
Who would it be this year? First Quirrel, then Lockhart, then Lupin, then it was supposed to be Moody but it was actually Crouch… Harry's head hurt.   
  
"Who do you think it is this year?" he asked Ron, sitting towards the back.   
  
"Not got a clue. I can't believe nobody knows!"   
  
Five minutes into the lesson, no teacher had showed up and they were restless.  
"Maybe there _isn't_ a teacher this year." Ron mused; Hermione gave him an exasperated look,   
  
"Then we would definitely have been told and we'd have a free period, wouldn't we?"   
  
Ron gave her his own look but kept quiet, she was right after all.   
Ten minutes later the door slammed open, a cloak of dark blue swirling and robes of even darker blue, more like black, strode into the room.   
"I am Professor Tasny and will be your Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. My job is to prepare you, now more than ever, against the dark forms of magic, and to get you though your OWL's.   
"Yes, this year you will be taking your OWL's, as I'm sure you'll have been told in your previous lessons already, so I won't waste our time by talking about it again.  
"I am conscious of that fact that you have had quite a few Professors for this subject in your four years here, four is it?" she asked with a smile, the class relaxed slightly.  
"Not that I don't trust my predecessors notes, but would you care to give me a run down of what you've been taught and actually remembered so far? Then I'll know where to begin."   
  
Hermione, as expected, raised her hand and gave a quick summary of what they'd done in their first three years.   
  
"What about your fourth year? What did you learn then?"   
  
Nobody raised his or her hand, Harry sensed it was better to get it over and done with, and put his hand in the air,   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"We learned the Unforgivables, Professor."   
  
She stayed silent for a minute, "All year?"   
  
No, I said that for effect.  
"Pretty much, Professor."   
  
The room was silent: it wasn't hard to forget.   
  
"Alright then, well how about I continue Professor Lupin's work for a while and see how that goes? Then," she flicked through a book on her desk, "we'll do some dark potions and incantations. How does that sound?"  
Various nods and sounds of approval echoed around room,  
"Right then, let's get started. Open your books to page 145 and read the first paragraph. Then I will show you what one looks like."   
  
Eagerly the Gryffindors flipped open their books, all except Orion, who raised her hand,  
"Please Professor, could I go and fetch my book? I kinda left it in my dormitory by accident."   
  
"I think you'll manage sharing with,"   
  
"Lavender." The girl supplied.   
  
"Lavender for now, please remember to come prepared for the next lesson, hmm?"   
  
"Yes Professor."   
  
They all read the paragraph, and Professor Tasny made one out of smoke, showing them the heads, what they did, it was a very interesting lesson by Harry's standards, almost as good as Professor Lupin's were, but not quite.  
When the lesson ended, Harry packed up his books and filed out, intending to drop his things off in the dormitory and then get some food, his stomach rumbled in agreement.   
  
***   
  
After dinner Orion stayed in the Common Room talking to Seamus and Dean about Quidditch and the Try Outs, which were being held in a few weeks. She liked the sound of Beaters, but she'd never ridden a broom before so trying out was out of the question. Seamus was going for Chaser, and Dean still hadn't decided if he was going to or not. There was going to be a vote between the existing team members to decide of the new Captain, as well as the new members.  
At seven o'clock, she groaned and bid farewell to the pair -it was time for her first detention.  
And she'd been doing so well.   
  
*   
  
Orion dawdled along the grimy corridors to her detention. The torches along the walls cast flickering shadows in corners, which wouldn't bother her if she was still a Muggle, what was it going to be then? The Candy Man? The Bogey Monster? But now… she walked faster. Now she got nightmares about people screaming and crying babies, green light and blood. They kept changing.   
  
"Ah, so glad you could make it Miss. Taylor. Peel these, all of them."  
Her feet had taken her straight to the dungeon, even if her head was going somewhere else.  
Snape was indicating to a desk half full of trays of eels, and half full of empty jars. It was going to be a disgusting night.   
  
*   
  
It was a disgusting night. By eleven she'd peeled everything, but had to go to the bathroom to have a shower and wash off all of the eel traces from her body.  
Consequently, it was nearly midnight when she quietly crawled into bed and pulled to the bed curtains.  
_Definitely_ a night to add to the Gross Lists.   
  
…At some indescribable hour in the morning, Orion was awake again. The people in black hoods had been at it again.  
She wished they'd quit it -she needed _some_ sleep!   
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
**Post A/N-** See! Majority of Harry in this chapter! Heheh... more soon, but not this week. I _really_ do need to revise for math! On the upside -i just got a text from my friend who _is_ at school today, i got an a* in my mock english paper for poetry analysis ^__^   
  
--Lani xxx 


	9. Chapter Nine: Nightmares of Hoods and Ma...

Authors Notes: Look! I'm updating! Now go read it! {{angel face here}}   
**Review Thank Yous**-  
_Utuku:_ Heehee, will Orion ever find out who Snuffles is? Maybe ^^ Ooo, Orion and Hogsmeade? **grins evilly** That's in chapter 10 i think -i wrote an excerpt for it but i dunno where to put it yet =S  
_Lady Beriaron:_ Merci!  
_Lilly Black1:_ **blush**  
_Delphi:_ Ack! if Mrs. Pshycho-Laydee ever found this i might DIE!!  
_Darienetta Stoke:_ why would Orion want to meet Sirius?  
  
**I've made a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update -just leave your e-mail address in your review and say you wanna be added =)**   
  
Please R/R! :)   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
**Chapter Nine**  
  
Orion was bored. And, to make matters worse, only two of her surprises had been found. At least it would be breakfast soon, but until then she was stuck staring at a piece of parchment that was supposed to have her Potions essay written on it, but so far only had half of a paragraph scribbled onto its surface.  
_"What are the uses and possible side-effects of using a Speechless Potion?  
  
The uses and possible side effects of using a Speechless Potion vary, depending on how much the drinker consumes, and if the Potion has been diluted and correctly made."  
_  
"What time did you get up?"  
The voice, coming from the boy's staircase, startled her from the staring she had been doing.  
  
"What? Oh, hiya Harry." she greeted, "I don't know -haven't got a watch."   
  
Harry grinned and plopped onto one of the armchairs. "Me either -went swimming with mine on last year. Turns out it wasn't waterproofed."  
  
"Really?"   
  
"I know! It was an okay watch too, but I've still got an alarm clock,"   
  
"So you didn't take that for a quick dip then?"   
  
He laughed, "No, so I know what the time is, it's about six o'clock."   
  
"Great -you can help me write this potions essay!"   
  
Harry pulled out some parchment, a quill and ink from his robes, "And you can help with mine ready for Ron later."   
  
***   
  
Harry put his head on the desk. Another lesson, another lecture on their OWL's.   
The first time, he understood, the second time, he figured all right, and now? The fifth time? He'd given up caring. He already knew that the OWL's were important, and he had to do his best in every subject -he didn't need to be told repeatedly, time after time again. But apparently Professor Flitwick didn't heed annoyed thoughts and continued his lecture for a harrowing five minutes more before closing up and beginning on the actual lesson… all about Disabling Charms.  
Harry groaned.  
  
***   
Orion trunched across the frost hardened grass with the rest of the Gryffindors feeling ever so slightly proud of herself. Ever so slightly.   
A fourth year had found the enchanted mousetraps and they snapped at his heels for a good five minutes -it was very entertaining and very fulfilling for the prank setter… also known as her.  
Her good mood was only dulled when they halted outside the greenhouses for Herbology.  
Professor Sprout appeared behind Greenhouse Four as the Hufflepuffs arrived and clapped her gloved hands.  
"Today we'll be in here with the Projectus Acana so get your gloves ready."  
Inside the greenhouse it was, thankfully, a lot warmer so the tightly clasped cloaks that everybody was huddling in were shed and hung up quickly.  
"As you are aware, this year you will be taking your OWL's in all your subjects. The exam for Herbology will be half-practical and half-theory: first you'll be shown plants and have to do something with them, and then you'll be given a situation and you'll have to explain how you'd sort it out.  
"Everybody understand? Good, now that that's out of the way we can begin with the lesson."  
  
Orion, try as she might, couldn't pay attention enough for it to stay in her mind, however, she was paired with Hermione and couldn't go completely wrong -which was definitely a good thing.  
"Hermione, Peppy here is trying to eat my fingers!"  
  
"Well don't let it, and why is it called Peppy?"  
  
Dodging the snapping jaws, she struggled with the wriggling plant to hold it's 'jaw' open for Hermione.  
"It needs a name -we are about to pull three of its teeth out."  
  
"It needs to be done, hold it -"  
  
"Peppy."  
  
" -Peppy, still."  
  
"By the way, I still can't believe Peppy doesn't get any anaesthetic!"  
  
"Orion!"  
  
"Alright, alright…"   
"There!" Hermione dropped a large orange tooth onto the white plate while Orion continued to fight the jaws.   
  
"Hurry up, Hermione!"   
  
Neville, who'd finished already, popped up behind her.  
"If you hold it here," he moved her hands, "and here it can't move, see?"  
Relaxing a little, she nodded.  
"Thanks Neville! It felt like I was fighting a bull or something!"  
Neville's face brightened and he went back to his pair with a Hufflepuff girl.  
"Hey, Hermione, I'm ready now!"  
  
***   
"Hey 'Mione how'd your teeth come?"  
Ron sat next to Hermione, and Harry opposite next to where Orion had her head on her arms.  
  
"Easily, but from the spectacle you were making I guess not so for you?"   
Harry held up a slightly bruised hand, as did Ron.  
"They were stuck!" The redhead defended.  
  
"I'm sure they were," Hermione soothed, "Now stop yelling so loudly -Orion's asleep."   
  
Ron, for his part, looked pointedly around the Great Hall which was very noisy, but she ignored him and answered Harry's questioning look,  
"She was up before two thirty this morning -that's when I woke up for a drink, because she wasn't there and she had a really long detention with Snape earlier too."   
  
"She was in the Common room," said Harry, "Or she was at six-ish when I can down and we did most of the Potions essay -yes Ron you can copy it -she's pretty clever really, isn't she?"   
  
Not being able to answer straight away due to the sandwich in her mouth, she nodded instead before explaining.  
"I didn't think she would be stupid. Even with the one-to-one classes she still caught up four years in one summer holiday.  
"Tell me you two," she continued in a whisper, "Have noticed how similar she and you are?"  
  
Ron grinned.  
"They both got black hair."  
But Harry shook his head,  
"I don't see it."  
  
Hermione threw her hands in the air,  
"You could pass as brother and sister! How can you not see it?"  
  
Ron gave her a funny look, as did Harry.  
"Her last name is Taylor -not Potter, Hermione. Maybe her parents have got black hair. Don't you girl talk about that kind of thing?"   
  
She gave him a smothering Look,  
"No, not everyday -it's the second day of school and I've known her for just as long as you."   
  
"So that's a no then."   
  
Whatever reply she had was cut off by the bell sounding to end lunch and Orion blinking meekly in the light as she sat up and stretched. Harry smiled at her as they exchanged condolences about their next lesson and watched her from his position behind next to Ron and Hermione. He may have said nothing about it to Hermione but she was right. Orion did look awful familiar…   
  
*   
  
"Harry! Get over here!" Fred, George and the rest of the Quidditch team were seated in one corner of the room in deep discussion over something.  
"We're voting on the new Quidditch captain -you want to nominate anyone?"  
  
Harry looked at their faces, "Why? You guys have been on the team a lot longer than me."   
  
"Just nominate, Harry." said Angelina,   
  
"Fine -I nominate… you."   
  
"Great! Then it's decided," George said, "Angelina is the new captain, Harry is vice captain and we're all happy!"   
  
Re-take, please.  
"Whoah -slow down, how'd that happen? Why am I vice-captain?"  
The rest of the team grinned deviously at him,  
  
  
"We already voted and you and Angelina were drawing,"   
  
"And then you voted for her,"   
  
"So she's captain and you're vice,"   
  
"Got it?"   
  
Harry barely had time to nod before Fred finished,   
  
"Good."   
  
*   
  
Harry fell onto the floor next to Ron and Hermione and ignored their expectant looks. He had just spent the last hour helping to organise the Quidditch tryouts for a new Keeper, which he quickly informed Ron of -Friday, four o'clock, Quidditch pitch.  
"Orion's gone to her detention again." said Hermione,   
  
"And rumour has it that Neville is pining for her already," Ron grinned.   
  
Harry raised an eyebrow,  
"Rumour being Lavender and Parvati?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
Need I say more?   
  
"Reckon it's true? That Neville fancies her?"   
  
Apparently I do.  
"No -just 'cause they talk without him stumbling over his words or Orion bursting into fits of giggles doesn't mean that one of them fancies the other; look at you and Hermione,"  
Bad example Harry, very bad example.  
"Or Hermione and me."  
Better.  
  
"What time do you think she'll be done? I didn't hear her come back last night."   
  
Ron pulled a face,  
"Not 'til midnight: Snape's a right gi-"   
  
Hermione jumped in, "RON!"  
  
*   
  
Orion sat bolt up right, a silent scream on her lips as she recovered her bearings and tried to still her shaking hands.  
The nightmares were getting worse, or at least more vivid.  
The ones in masks and hoods were torturing the woman again. And again she barely screamed once. Again they laughed. Again she escaped but was finally killed in the chase outside the building.  
Again, Orion cried.  
She didn't like crying -crying was generally a bad thing to do in an orphanage and with the Williams. Besides, crying meant being afraid and Orion was never afraid.  
That, however, didn't stop the barely stifled sob that found its way out as she fumbled around for a sweatshirt and shoes, and snuck out of the dormitory with the moon illuminating the wet tracks on her face.  
  
Hermione stared at the bed curtains; Orion had been muttering in her sleep about something. If she hadn't have been working over an Arithmacy problem, she never would've been awake to hear her cry but what should she do? They'd barely know each other a week!   
  
She never heard her leave.   
  
***   
  
Orion walked, although a more accurate description might've been to say that she meandered mindlessly, too wrapped up in her thoughts to take note of where her feet were taking her.  
She as trying to remember her family; she had to have had parents at one point, but how did they die? Why was she alive? What was with the name? Why wasn't she called Rachel, or Katrina or Emma? Why Orion?  
Finding herself outside and shivering, her eyes rose automatically to find her constellation and then she looked for others -the Plough, the Dog Star the Big and Little Bears…   
  
The constellations were something she'd known as long as she could remember. Looking at the stars sparked something in her mind somewhere: happiness, laughter, a feeling of safety that she hadn't felt for a long time.  
Of course, the stars also reminded her of the nightmares, but that was different -the stars just happened to be there when the woman was crying and dying.  
  
Finally, Orion moved from the spot she'd at some point sat on and made her way back to Gryffindor Tower. The sky was loosing its dense, almost purple darkness as dawn tried to get its first foothold.   
  
The rest of the week wasn't too bad, as far as school weeks went -she finished her detentions with Snape (which didn't get any better than the eels and certainly only got steadily worse), Ron tried for the Quidditch team and made it (though there wasn't much competition and it was really between him and a seventh year out of all twenty-three candidates) and the new Defence teacher was 'alright'-as termed by Ron and Harry, even though Orion kept her reservations to herself, she still didn't agree with them. There was something about Professor Tasny that didn't feel right -it was like she'd met her before but forgotten where, when, and why so all that was left was a vague memory.  
It was very annoying.  
  
***   
  
Dumbledore stood at the front of a large, magically extended basement on a podium so everybody could see him., even though it looked less like a basement and more like an expensive hall that occasionally creaked.  
The walls were painted a neutral tan, but the bright red and gold borders gave it a nice touch; Fawkes' perch sat above and to the left of the podium like an omnipresent demi-God.  
Before the podium rows of chairs were set out and almost all of them were filled with witches and wizards from all over Great Britain.  
"I trust you all know why you are here," He addressed them with a sombre tone that quietened the light chatter instantly, "If not I will quickly go over the main points.  
"This is the first meeting of the Order of the Phoenix since Voldemorts last rise to power.  
Many of you have been working with the Order over the summer; some of you have merely been observing the magical community since you were alerted to Voldemorts return last summer.  
"From now onwards, this will be our headquarters, and it is imperative you tell no-one even of it's existence because once Voldemort knows of it her won't stop until it is destroyed.  
"He knows we are dangerous -quite possibly his biggest threat since the Ministry of Magic refuses to acknowledge his existence. But at the moment he doesn't know we have re-formed.  
"I believe that's all I wanted to say at his meeting, the main purpose is for some of you to reacquaint yourselves, so, please help yourselves to some food and drink and have a bit of a chat!"  
With a wave of his hand two tables laden with food and pumpkin juice appeared to one side of the room and a murmur began to rise between the Order.  
  
Sirius looked at Remus,  
"Like my basement? Pretty impressive, huh?"  
  
"Very Padfoot. Have you written back to Harry et?" Remus asked the question, knowing the anwer.  
  
A pained expression crossed his face for a few moments,  
"I started to write it this morning."  
  
"But?"   
  
"I couldn't finish it. Why don't you just send yours? I'll give mine to him when he comes to Hogsmeade."   
  
"Just write it Sirius -you don't have to tell him everything."   
  
"I can't lie to him!" he exclaimed.   
  
"Don't then!" said Remus, exasperated. Trying to make Sirius see something was extremely hard and always had been, "Tell; him she was your girlfriend -its true when that was taken. You don't have to tell him about how it ended and the baby."   
  
"But Jessa was practically best friends with Lily!" Sirius argued.   
  
"Then tell him that, if you want too."   
  
Sirius leant forward, putting his head in his hands and said nothing. Knowing there was nothing more he could say at that moment, Remus put a hand on his shoulder and made a bee-line for Dumbledore, who was munching on a Pringle.   
  
"You have to tell hum, Headmaster, before he finds out some other way."   
  
Professor Dumbledore sighed and looked at Sirius sadly,  
"It was hard enough to get this far -the Ministry just wouldn't allow it."  
  
"The Ministry would say red was white if it could." Remus growled.  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
**A/N:** Waddya think? Please r/r because i'm not too sure about this chapter :S BUT Chapter Ten is gonna be reeeeaally important -some plot lines are gonna come together and a few more are gonna be introduced in Chapter Eleven =D I've been planning it out in detail and speeded it up a bit!  
  



	10. Chapter Ten: Secrets Revealed to More th...

**Authors Notes:** *ahem* Four months for one chapter? Even _i'm_ ashamed of that! My defense? Ummm it was hard and i was busy, but it's done!!   
  
**Review Thank Yous-**  
Lady Beriaron  
Darienetta Stoke  
tom-felton-babe  
  
**I've made a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update (since it takes SO long for me to actually finish a chapter!)-just leave your e-mail address in your review and say you wanna be added =)**  
Please R/R! :)   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
**Chapter Ten**  
Halloween was around the corner, as was the first Hogsmeade trip of the year. The problem was, Orion had no idea what it was, so she asked as much of Hermione.  
  
"It's the only all-magic community left in England, when you handed your slip in it meant you could come to Hogsmeade." she explained.  
  
"Slip, what slip?"  
  
"The slip that your parents needed to sign, giving you permission to come to Hogsmeade?"  
  
"Oh." So no Hogsmeade then, not to mention the fact that she had no parents to sign any parental permission forms, she didn't remember even receiving it in June either.  
The disappointment must have been showing on her face because then Hermione asked,  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Absolutely peachy, never been better, "Fantastic."  
Hermione smiled and went to join Harry and Ron by the crowd waiting to sign their names.  
  
Half hour later and practically the whole of Gryffindor, well, all those in their third year or above she found out, had signed up to go… unfortunately it was rather noticeable that the new addition to the fifth year wasn't on the list.  
"Hey Orion, why aren't you coming?"  
  
She turned around to face Ron, knowing it was going to have to come out sooner or later.  
"To where? Hogsmeade?"  
  
Ron nodded but the trio all looked curious.  
  
"I, uh," oh come on Orion, you can do better than that! "well how good can it be?"  
  
Ron's jaw dropped, "How good? How good? Hogsmeade is the best place ever!"  
  
Oh great.  
"Why?"  
  
"Why?! Why?!" he paused, "Well, it just is!"   
  
"It's probably just got shops right?"  
  
"Just got shops? You've never tasted Honeydukes chocolate, or been into Zonko's have you?" He kept repeating the last thing she said like a bad record player. He turned away in a fit of indignant splutters and pushed Harry to the spot-light, apparently unable to continue.   
  
"They're not just normal muggle shops, they can't be can they? Since there aren't any muggles living there; every store is full of wizarding stuff, just like Diagon Alley! It's amazing, you've got to go!"   
  
Orion knew it, she was going to have to tell them. She would be the stupid Foster kid again, except minus the Foster because, of course, now she had no one to even go home to unless you counted an orphanage so full of children that it was more like a playground.  
"I want to go but I can't."  
  
"What?" Harry was confused, as were Ron and Hermione (the former of which was calming slowly now).  
  
She sighed, "I can't."  
  
"Why not?"   
  
"No permission slip -no parents to sign it… and the Williams kinda stopped the Guardian thing when I got my letter."   
  
"You're an orphan?" asked Harry in disbelief.   
  
"Hay give the kid a plushie doll!" Orion rubbed the bridge if her nose as nerves took over, "So that's why I can't go, okay?"  
Wait for it…  
  
"Okay, we could always bribe McGonagall to let you go anyway, y'know, offer her a tartan hat or something…" Ron started, a scheming look crossing his face as Hermione wore her own look, which was disturbingly similar to McGonagall's Disapproving Look.  
Orion paused in 'trying to rub her nose away' as a Primary School teacher had once phrased it during a math test, where were the insults? The nasty comments and the taunts?  
"Really?"   
  
Ron grinned a grin to make Fred and George proud.  
  
Harry, however, was still processing the information, a chain reaction going through his brain.  
Orion was an orphan. He was an orphan. Neville was practically an orphan… in at least two of those cases it was Voldemort's fault. Voldemort revelled in death and destruction, pleasured in causing pain to others.  
Harry hated him. Not like he hated Dudley, but a burning hate for someone so cruel and horrid that made him despise him with every breath.  
Voldemort was the reason there were so many orphans.  
Voldemort was the reason so many parents had lost a child, like Cedric's parents…  
Harry resolved, right there and then in his mind, to stop him, but all he said to Orion was,  
"Me too, I'm sorry; but we'll ask McGonagall next lesson."  
  
*  
  
During their next Transfiguration lesson, while they were trying to Vanish mice and for the most part failing miserably, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Orion were planning how to ask McGonagall if the latter would be allowed to Hogsmeade despite the lack of permission slip.  
Hermione, of course had vanished her mouse on her third try and earned Gryffindor fifteen points, Harry and Orion on their fifth earning Gryffindor five points each (Ron caught on after his tenth try, and he was extremely proud of it).  
When the bell rang, all mice were hurriedly Unvanished and put into boxes as the class emptied out to break, but four remained, lingering behind until Neville disappeared out the door (his mouse ran away and he'd spent five minutes trying to find it again just by it's noises because it was still invisible), then they hovered by McGonagall's desk as she locked the mice away.  
"Professor, we have a question," Hermione started,  
  
"Actually, I have a question and they're helping." Orion felt obliged to point out.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence, during which McGonagall stared at them over the top of her glasses,  
"Well, what's the question?"  
  
"I never got a Hogsmeade slip, Professor, so I couldn't get it signed and now I can't go next weekend."  
  
She frowned, "That is an unfortunate oversight on our part Miss Taylor, however the rule still stands -if you don't have a signed slip you can't go on the trips."  
  
"But I never even got a slip to get signed, Professor!"  
  
She narrowed her gaze, "An unfortunate oversight as I have said. I'm sorry Miss Taylor, but the rule still applies -go to lunch."   
  
The disgruntled Gryffindors left the classroom quickly and quietly, none more so than Harry.  
This was all Voldemort's fault.  
  
*  
  
The Hogsmeade weekend came with a freezing wind and frost, Orion parted with them at the top of the marble staircase, telling them she may as well take advantage of there being hardly anybody in the school.  
Harry had a sneaking suspicion it was her who set the on the mantle piece that caught a seventh year -his fingers were stuck to it for two hours before the Touch Activating Glue wore off.  
  
As they made their way down to the village Ron was still spluttering at the obscenity of her not being allowed to go to Hosgmeade.  
Harry wasn't going to disagree since he knew exactly how she must be feeling, but they couldn't exactly do anything at that very moment, could they?  
"Come on Ron! We can't do anything now, we can help her for the next trip before Christmas, start a petition or something."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes,  
"You really thing that will work? Professor McGonagall didn't let Harry go a few years ago when you both practically begged, and she sounded pretty firm about Orion not coming to Hogsmeade without a slip."  
  
"Yeah, but they did think a maniac was out to kill me," he reasoned, "and it turned out it was just Snuffles trying to murder Wormtail."  
  
"I suppose, but I still highly doubt that she'll change her mind, even if you hand her a petition signed by every student at Hogwarts."  
  
The trio carried on walking, moving on to other subjects -like the first Quidditch match of the season, which would also be Ron's first ever.  
Training wasn't going too badly, although in Harry's mind Angelina was almost as obsessed with training as Wood was, Ron wasn't terrible, but if anybody threw a spinning Quaffle to his left or above his head the other team was going to score.  
Consequently Angelina was urging him to catch the Snitch as soon as possible so that the Slytherins would have less time to discover and exploit Ron's weakness.  
  
By the time they were in eye-sight of The Three Broomsticks Harry's nose was as bright as Rudolf the Reindeers, without a word exchanged between them they speeded up to where Butterbeer was awaiting and a nice warm fire with no bitter wind to whip at their faces.  
There was also the small matter of buying some extra bottles to take out and some sweets from Honeydukes for Sirius and Remus whom they would be meeting up within in half an hour, if the clock on the wall as they walked in was right.  
  
"We meeting in the uh, usual place?" asked Ron as they quickly cornered a table away from the door and near the table, setting their Butterbeers down carefully.  
Harry nodded because his mouth now full of the warming liquid.  
  
"Won't everybody recognise Professor Lupin, though?" said Hermione,  
  
"They're not coming down to meet us, we go straight to the cave where they'll be waiting."   
  
Harry tugged on Ron's robes fifteen minutes later, "Come on, we better go."  
Ron drank the last of his Butterbeer and looked balefully outside: the wind had picked up and was blowing fiercely down the street as students battled to keep their scarves on, and the sky was looking dangerously like it was about it rain.   
  
"Y'know if I freeze to death going up there, I'm going to come back and haunt you and Snuffles." Ron complained as Harry lifted his newly filled school-bag carefully from its resting place on the floor and laughed.   
  
"You tell him that!"   
  
A quick stop in Honeydukes later and they were on their way, climbing over the fence and wading through the knee-high grass to the hidden cave that Sirius discovered several years ago after his escape from Azkaban.   
  
"We were beginning to think you'd never turn up!" greeted Sirius as they sat on the floor and started to unpack the food and drink.   
  
"Nice to see you too, Sirius." Harry replied, a smile lighting up his face, "How's it going?"   
  
"Funny, I was going to as you the same thing, studying hard for those delightful OWL's?"   
  
Harry, choosing carefully not to answer that question looked at his feet and changed the subject. He really couldn't be bothered with a lecture right now, especially from Sirius.  
"So the girl, who is she?"  
  
His Godfather's smile faltered for a second before he waved a hand dismissively, "Just a girl I used to date -you don't need to worry, Harry."   
  
He raised an eyebrow, "Really?"   
  
"Really."   
  
Liar.   
  
Remus started talking just as he was about to respond as such, so Harry notched up a mental note for later.  
"How is your revision going, Ron?"   
  
"Ah -"   
  
"They haven't started yet," said Hermione, an annoying satisfied grin on her face, "but I'm going to get them on it after Christmas, Professor Lupin."   
  
Ron gaped, "You've already started _revising_? The exams aren't until _May_!"   
  
"I like to be prepared, Ron! Unlike you, I also would like to _pass_."   
  
Harry put a placating hand onto his friends shoulder, halting the argument for now at least, and changed the subject once again from their upcoming exams.   
  
"You know we have a new girl at school, Orion Taylor? She says the Ministry overlooked her, or something, and she was at school all over the holidays catching up?"   
  
"She's in our year, and a Gryffindor." Hermione supplied.   
  
"And she likes to play pranks; she's not as good as Fred and George though." Ron said.   
  
"Really? Is she muggle-born?" Sirius asked, apparently interested.   
  
"She's an orphan, so we don't know and we didn't ask." said Harry.   
  
"Starting in her fifth year? How's she coping with the work?" Remus asked.   
  
"As well as most people," said Hermione, "she's like these two -she gets distracted, doodles, and never takes notes in History of Magic."   
  
Harry put on his Innocent Face, "Hermione you are the only one who ever takes notes longer than the title and a sentence in History, seriously, you deserve an award for staying awake that long."   
  
Sirius laughed, "Is Binns still the teacher? The ghost?"   
  
"Yeah." He and Ron chorused.   
  
They fell into a comfortable silence for a while, occasionally broken when somebody drank some Butterbeer until Harry asked,   
  
"Do you know what Voldemort is up to yet?"   
  
Ron choked on said Butterbeer at the mention of You-Know-Who's name and Hermione's eyes widened; the only two who didn't show any sign of shock were Remus and Sirius.   
  
"Why?" said Sirius.   
  
So I can publish it in the Daily Prophet, come off it Sirius,  
"He did try to kill me, and is trying to regain his former army y'know."  
  
"Alright, alright, no need to get like that, Harry."   
That was Professor Lupin.  
  
"Well?"   
  
The last loyal Marauders looked at each other briefly, deciding on how much, if any, to divulge to the three Fifth Years.   
  
"Not really -don't give me that look, we're telling the truth -he's been lying annoyingly low since the summer,"   
  
"He's taking advantage of the Ministry's refusal to acknowledge his return, which in turn is making it worse for Dumbledore."   
  
"You mean Fudge."   
  
"Yes," Sirius picked up the explanation again, "But you've got to understand, Harry. It's a lot easier to believe he doesn't exist anymore than to believe he's back, and that the fear he instilled fifteen years ago could return, that he or his followers could murder the people you love and care about just because they felt like it."   
  
"So you don't know anything?" Hermione inquired,   
  
"We know some information, of course." said Remus, "Like the Deatheaters you named last year? We've been keeping tabs on all of them, and we've been discreetly trying to find as many people who believe in his return as possible since the summer, especially within the Ministry."   
  
"We?"   
  
Sirius winked, "An old group of friends."   
  
Harry knew exactly what he was talking about; after all he, Hermione and most of the Weasley children spent a lot of their summer listening with Extendable Ears too Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's more private conversations.  
He was talking about The Order of the Phoenix. Except he wasn't supposed to know that.  
"Is that it? That's all you're going to tell us, isn't it?"   
  
"See, you are smart!"   
  
Remus looked at his watch,  
"I've got to go and see Rosmerta, I'll see you guys at the next trip?"   
  
"Sure, Professor Lupin." They said in unison,   
  
"Haven't I told you before? Call me Remus!"   
  
And with that he'd disappeared out of the cave, leaving Sirius alone with the three expectant faces awaiting explanations.   
  
"Rosmerta knows about me, and she has no problem with Remus being a werewolf so he's gone to see about a room we could use for when you come to Hogsmeade,"   
  
"So we don't have to sit in a freezing cold cave?"   
  
"Got it in one, Ron."   
  
They sat talking for a while, subjects varying from Quidditch to Butterbeer, and from Butterbeer to Buckbeak and the Billywig's in Fizzing Whizbees.  
By the time they reached a lull in conversation it was getting dark, and getting time to go back to Hogwarts.  
Sirius looked at Harry,  
"Want me to walk you back?"  
Harry shook his head before Hermione could even give a disapproving look to his Godfather as an early Christmas present,  
"No it's okay, I'll see you next time, right?"  
  
Sirius' eyes darkened perceptibly at Harry's answer, but recovered their usual pale glimmer at the mention of the next Hogsmeade trip.  
"See you then, and be careful Harry."  
  
"Later, Sirius!"   
  
As Sirius rose to follow them to the entrance several things happened all at once: Sirius slipped on an empty bottle of Butterbeer, a photograph fell out of his robes, and Harry's inkling that his Godfather had been lying to him became a concrete truth.  
Sirius recovered quickly, shoving the picture back into a pocket and stood up like nothing happened, but nobody said a word as Harry, Ron and Hermione walked down the rocky path and back through the fields, and every time one of them turned around they saw what was presumably a black dog watching over them until they reached the main road of Hogsmeade where it was busier… and also out of eye line of where Sirius had been.  
  
Harry didn't say a word the entire journey back, he was too busy going over and over the lies Sirius kept saying, over and over. First of all, the girl was nobody… just a girl he used to date, and then he completely covered up the fact that he kept a picture of a pregnant woman in his pocket. A woman that looked remarkably like the nobody girlfriend he used to date.  
He stormed up the steps to his bed, ignoring the worried looks that Ron and Hermione shared.  
Sure enough, the woman was the "nobody" girlfriend in the pictures, just a year or two older and very pregnant.  
  
"Harry, you okay mate?" Ron asked cautiously.   
  
"Why did he lie to me?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"The woman in the photo, did you see it?"   
  
He nodded slowly, "Yeah."   
  
"It's the same girl that he was going out with at Hogwarts! The one in all of those pictures!"   
  
Ron paled while Harry's face was still flushed in anger, "Come on mate, let's go see Hermione -we can send him an owl or something."   
  
Harry slammed the album shut and forced it back into his trunk, quickly grabbing some writing materials, "I'm not sending one to him. I'm going to talk to Profes- Remus, there're some things that he's said that are a bit off too." Briskly he set off down the stairs; Ron followed at a small distance and got Hermione to come as well. It was in record time that they reached the Owlery.   
  
"What are you going to say to Remus?" Ron asked as Harry began scribbling.  
"Who that girl really was, if she was just a girlfriend why he keeps a picture of her pregnant in his pocket -you saw it right? Good. -why he changed the subject from it really quickly when we were asking Sirius about her, why he changed the subject again when we were talking about Orion… how's that for starters?"   
  
"Just… be nice about it, okay?" said Hermione, "Professor Lupin only does what he thinks is best for you, and Sirius is the same, they just don't always do it the way you like. Remember in our third year? He knew about Sirius being your Godfather but didn't say anything until we were all inside the Shrieking Shack and it was almost too late."   
  
"Right."   
  
"Harry,"   
  
"Okay, okay! Look, I've asked if we can all meet with him on the next trip because we really need to talk without Sirius."   
  
"Even though you told Sirius you'd see him before Christmas?"  
Ron asked in disbelief.  
  
Harry steeled himself, "He lied, why does it matter if I lied too?"   
  
"Because then you're doing the same thing that you're mad at him for, Harry."   
  
He sighed, the blaze of anger he felt earlier ebbing away, "I know."   
  
***   
  
Orion sat at the Gryffindor table the next weekend picking at her toast and marmalade. The entire Hall was full of conversations about the recent trip to Hogsmeade, and she couldn't take part in the conversations because she didn't go. On the upside there were a lot more pranks set up about the school just waiting for their unsuspecting victims to set them off.  
First thing today was Care of Magical Creatures with Mr. Hagrid outside in the freezing cold. His lessons were always interesting, and usually dangerous (which made them all the more fun for the most part), the only the only downside was that it was with the Slytherins… with Draco Malfoy.  
Malfoy was about as over-confident as they came; unfortunately there was one in every school, at least one in fact.  
  
"Orion, are you coming or what?" asked Ron. Apparently the bell had gone.   
  
"Yeah, just day dreaming." she said, joining the trio to go outside.   
  
"About what?"   
  
"Malfoy dying a horrible, embarrassing death." she said dryly, causing Ron to apologise for disturbing such a wonderful vision.   
  
Things at Hogwarts were definitely better than at the last school she was at: what with having friends, learning magic, a whole new way to perform pranks and not living with a family of money-loving not-very-nice-people. In fact, the only downside was the nightmares, which she last remembered having when she was a lot younger but not since then.  
All in all? In her opinion Hogwarts rocked. Time flew by, even in the detentions, mad late night homework sessions and Divination… soon the next Hogsmeade trip was nearing and Orion was trying not to think about it.   
  
*   
  
They filed into the Defence against the Dark Arts amidst a light chatter, Professor Tasny sat at her desk writing but put it away as they got seated.  
Orion sat in her place (next to Hermione and Neville), pulled out her wand, textbook, a parchment and quill and began to doodle. A moon soon blossomed in the corner, followed by a flower and a smiley face.  
  
"Today we're studying the shield spell. Every witch and wizard has the ability to make a shield, but the strength does vary. Do any of you know how we can test a shield's strength?   
  
Orion held the suspicion that Hermione had a drip feed of information while she slept, because Hermione's hand predictably shot into the air faster than she could slip on a banana skin.  
"When a spell is cast at the shield it turns a certain colour according to its caster's magical strength."  
  
"Correct, ten points to Gryffindor." she smiled. Orion shivered, Tasny gave her the same weird feeling that she got from the year seven history teacher that played rugby and was over six and a half feet tall, "Right, the spell is 'protectum' and you just have to point your wand in-front of you and swish it up and down once, when you've cast a shield you'll feel a tingle."   
  
The class began pointing a swishing and saying 'protectum', and although nothing was visible a few shivered.  
Orion pulled out her wand,  
"Protectum!"  
A tingle ran down her spine as well as a question -how did you turn it off?  
  
"Everyone, hold your wands steady and come forward when I call your name; let's see how powerful you all are."  
  
"Miss. Brown."  
Lavender went to the front, her wand reaching the desk before the rest of her. Professor Tasny stood up and,  
"Stupefy!"  
A bubble appeared around her, pale green in colour.  
  
"Mr. Finnigan."  
Another bubble, yellow this time, engulfed Seamus.  
  
At Hermione's turn she held a orange shield streaked with red -Tasny clapped,  
"Quite a powerful witch, we have here, but I won't describe the shield colours now: you'll have to wait until I've been through the entire class. Mr. Longbottom?"  
  
And so it went on, until,  
"Mr. Potter."  
Harry wasted no time, walked strongly up to the front desk and steadied his wand.  
"Impedminta!"  
A blinding light eclipsed him and Orion gaped. What colour was that? It was too bright to be white that was for sure. Professor Tasny barely hesitated before calling the next name,  
"Miss. Taylor."   
Her name. Here it goes.  
"Stupefy!"  
A blue and white bubble sprang out from her wand. What did that colour mean?  
Last of all, Ron got an entirely blue shield that shimmered around him and Tasny looked to the class.  
"I suppose you'd like to find out what all of those colours mean?  
An immediate murmur of "yes" rose around the classroom.  
"Then if you'll turn to page 113 you'll find a chart of the shield colours in strength order. Please make a copy of that for your notes."  
  
Nobody pulled out their quills right away -not even Hermione- because everybody was too busy reading the chart and finding their own shield colours.  
Orion found Harry's without even looking; it was right at the top of the list:  
_'Silver wizards are very rare and extremely powerful in the art of magic. The last known silver wizards were the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazaar Slytherin. However, it was suspected that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was also a silver wizard.'_  
  
Below that there were white wizards, then blue, red, orange, yellow, green, purple, brown and black, though apparently a black wizard was  
_'purely theoretical since those with that little magic wouldn't have the power to cast the shield.'_  
  
So, according to the book she was supposed to be fairly powerful, as was Ron and then Hermione, and even Neville ranked quite high.  
She wasn't sure who looked more shocked -Neville (a solid orange shield caster), or Lavender, who'd cast a purple/green shield.  
  
Eventually the sound of scratching quills filled the room, and the bell rang not long after Hermione finished (first, as usual).  
Tasny let them out with an essay on 'Why are shields very useful but hard to maintain under constant fire?" as homework, which wasn't too bad compared to the two feet long essay Snape had set the other day (which neither Ron, Harry nor she had done yet), the one and a half feet for Charms and the six palms they had to read for Divination.  
  
Orion found herself in the Common room again that night with most of the other Fifth and Seventh years.  
"Argh! Why is Snape such a g-"  
  
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.  
  
He threw his textbook across the room, where it skidded next to Lavender with a 'thud'.  
"It's hard!"  
  
Orion put the final sentence on her own essay, "Wanna borrow mine? You can nick the ideas and stuff but put it in your own words alright? I really can't be arsed with Snape putting me in any more detentions. That man is detention happy."  
  
Harry gaped, "Snape's a _man_? And all this time I thought he was a slimy _thing_!"  
  
Those in the surrounding vicinity laughed, which smothered Hermione's disapproving look as Ron gleefully took Orion's essay and started scribbling madly.   
  
"Do you want us to bring you anything from Hogsmeade tomorrow?" Harry asked, finishing off his own essay.   
  
Looking up, Orion shook her head, "Nah -don't need anything and don't know what's there. I'll see you tomorrow, g'night."   
  
***   
  
The weekend couldn't have rolled around quick enough for Harry, and despite the gruelling Quidditch training they went through on Friday night (preparation for the upcoming match against Slytherin) he couldn't help but bounce on his toes in anticipation of the answers from Remus.  
Since their last trip, when Sirius dropped a photograph that proved he was lying about a girl in the photo album, Harry had been sending letters to Remus about meeting up with him early, and then with Sirius slightly later.  
As well as strict instructions to not let Sirius know.   
  
"Harry, Remus might not know anything." said Hermione while they discreetly went through the back door of The Three Broomsticks. Just like Remus had said, Rosmerta was more than willing to rent a room out to Remus and Sirius -which, in turn, Harry, Ron and Hermione were also more than welcome to meet with them in.   
  
"Or he might know everything."   
Remus stood in the corridor just outside the room, waiting patiently for them, "Sirius has gone for a run, and he'll be back in time for a Butterbeer, now, what is it that you can't ask him about? He pushed the door too and settled into the chair, waiting patiently for one of them to speak.  
Ron and Hermione looked expectantly at Harry, who was questioning his decision to ask Sirius now that he was on the brink of possibly discovering, after all, Sirius said it wasn't important, but, said a voice in the back of his mind, if it wasn't important, why does he keep a picture of her in his robes? Why did he go all quiet afterwards?  
Besides, no one would get hurt by a few questions, right?  
Mind made up, he looked at Remus resolutely,  
"We wanted to know about some of the pictures in the photo album."  
  
"What do you mean? I thought we'd already talked about those?"   
  
Pulling the leather bound photo album from his backpack he opened it to a page they'd marked earlier -it held a photo of Lily in James' arms on the floor, and Sirius with his arms wrapped around a brown-eyed brunette; the lake behind them. All four faces beamed happily at the camera, waving and occasionally kissing each other. The caption read 'The Two Happy Couples, taken by Remus'  
She's in loads of the photos from your sixth year onwards," said Hermione, turning pages to prove her point, "But she's in it before then as well but not quite as much."  
  
"And Sirius had a photo of her in his pocket; it fell out when he slipped on the water."   
  
"She was pregnant," said Ron.   
  
"Very pregnant." Hermione added.   
  
"Sirius said it wasn't important, but we reckon he's lying -he went weird after."   
  
Raising his eyebrows at the last statement, made by Harry, he gazed at the original photo they'd shown him.  
At length, he spoke.  
"That was Sirius' girlfriend, like he told you. They officially got together at the beginning of our Sixth year. Her name was Jessenica, but we usually called her Jess."   
  
Sensing an explanation that didn't need to be interrupted, Harry, Ron and Hermione relaxed into their seats.  
"They started going 'steady', and we told her about my lycanthropy in our Seventh Year because we all trusted her, and I trusted not to hat me afterwards. We were right," he smiled sadly, "She slapped me too -for not explaining sooner, said she'd been worrying about my sick, dead or dying relatives for over six years when she should have been panicking about me. Sirius didn't escape either -she gave him the silent treatment for two days.  
"About a year after we graduated you mum and dad got married, and Jess was living with Sirius. They said marriage was too formal and gave each other personalised eternity rings instead." Remus shook his head, "Even amidst a war Sirius managed to defy the norm.  
"The Jess and Lily got pregnant-it was the first time either Sirius or James had been truly lost for words. Jess had a little girl a few months before Lily had you, but I don't suppose you remember her? You used to play together a lot."  
Harry shook his head mutely. Sirius had a daughter?  
"Jess and Lily were always exchanging tips on everything baby-related," he laughed, "And your father and Padfoot were trying to teach you both Quidditch when you were barely a year old."  
"Then, as you know, your parents were betrayed and you were orphaned. Sirius went after Peter and was framed. There was a reason he chose to try and kill Peter in broad daylight, Harry."  
"Before he went after him, he went home to tell Jess -the only one, he tells me, who also knew of the switch, only to find her and the baby gone, the Dark Mark hovering not above his house, but in the nursery, above the crib."  
Hermione gasped, Ron blanched, and Harry gripped the table in front of him.  
"How -Voldemort? He was gone -"  
  
"But not his followers -who knew of Peter and therefore hot to hurt Sirius the most, what better way than to kill his best and his wife, as well as his partner and child?"  
  
Silence hung over the group like a heavy curtain. Up until then his Godfather had just been that, and his dad's best-friends. Now he was a father to a murdered child and 'partner' as Remus had phrased it.  
Eventually, Hermione found her voice, "Did they find the bodies?"  
  
Remus looked up, "That, if I tell you, is something you can never tell another soul, diary or even a wall. It must not leave this room."  
  
Hermione frowned, "If it's such a secret why are you telling us at all?"   
  
"Because you'd just find out by yourselves -I know what you three are like -and then you'd go straight to Sirius, which would be bad and against s certain persons wishes."  
The way he said those last words shocked Harry, it was the closest he'd ever heard Remus to spitting a sentence.  
  
"Why?" That came from Ron.   
  
Remus sighed, the lines on his face suddenly making he appear even older than usually so, "How would you feel if you found out that there was the smallest chance that your child, whom you'd presumed dead for nearly fifteen years, was alive?"  
It was a rhetorical question.  
  
"What do you mean." asked Harry.  
  
"Jess was found in a muggle hospital, several miles from where Sirius' house is, about a week after Sirius was caught. The Ministry say they never found his little girl."  
Liar.  
""Did she have a name."  
  
He shifted in his seat, "This is something else that can never leave this room. Okay?" They nodded, rapt with attention, "Orion. Her name was Orion. Sirius wanted to call her something else but Jess insisted on naming her after a constellation like her father."  
  
"But Sirius is a star's name," said Hermione, "Orion is a constellation."  
  
"It was the only one they both liked."  
  
Harry's mind was not on such details however, he was on their new friend.  
"Orion like Orion Taylor? It's not exactly a common name."   
And right then, even as he was saying the words, he knew. The similarity that Hermione saw between he and Orion, was the same similarity that there was between Sirius and his dad Orion was an orphan, who had never known her parents, she loved to play pranks like it was a part of her DNA, which while impossible, was now scarily similar to how many described Sirius.  
"Remus, are you lying about the Ministry? Don't lie to us."  
  
The werewolf across from them grimaced, a look akin to shame flashing across his face, "What would you do if I said yes?"  
  
Before any of the Gryffindor's could respond there was a 'thunk' from behind the door, making everybody jump. By accident, Remus hadn't shut the door entirely. Through the tiny slit, Harry made out a shadow, which suddenly became clearer when the door was pushed open further by a shaking hand.  
Now, an ashen faced man walked through the threshold, a torrent of emotions on his face and in his eyes, the darkest of blue.  
Hope. Pain. Anger.  
Betrayal.  
  
Remus paled considerably, and Harry swore he could hear Ron's jaw hit the floor.  
As for himself, Harry could only breathe on word.  
"Sirius."  
  



	11. Chapter Eleven: Happy Christmas!

**Authors Notes: Not quite four months but not exactly a quick update either ^^ It IS nine pages in Word though, that's my excuse =D**   
  
**Review Thank Yous-**  
**Serrebi**  
**Kumiko *Kaylin* Eharu**  
**Hell's Angel-Heaven's Demon:** well sirius' reaction is -what you think i'm gonna spill? *MUAH HA HA*  
**Padfoot Black:** i think i remember you even though that was ages ago ^_^ Oh i have a reason for Orion being overlooked... it'll come out soon enough ;)  
**Darienetta Stoke:** alright alright! here it is dari!  
  
_I've made a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update (since it takes SO long for me to actually finish a chapter!)-just leave your e-mail address in your review and say you wanna be added =)_  
Please R/R! :)   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
**Chapter Eleven**  
"Headmaster it's been two days with no word from him -who knows what could've happened to him in that time! If he knows Orion is alive, and that we hid that from him… last time he thought she and Jess were dead he got sent to Azkaban! What's he going to do this time?"   
  
Professor Dumbledore spread his fingers on the desk before him carefully, "He won't do anything, and he won't be far away, Remus. Now he has another reason to not get caught: he has Harry _and_ his daughter."   
  
The younger man halted in his tireless pacing.  
"Then where is he?" he asked desperately.   
  
"I'm afraid anybodies guess is as good as mine right now."   
  
***   
  
In the shadows of a room, a throne, ornately designed with twirls and vines and serpents and jewels sat on a raised dais.  
Red slits glowed from the darkness and a figure bowed down before the throne.  
"What news do you bring me?"   
  
"My Lord, I have completed the translation of the prophecy and am certain of three of the people mentioned, one is assuredly you, your highness, and the other two were Lily and James Potter."   
  
"Read me the prophecy."  
  
"_In the ninth age, during first reign of Death  
Bonds will be bound  
of blood and betrayals.  
There will be born  
those to defeat the darkness.  
  
Two will perish on the eve of the grey days  
Others will be lost through their own faults  
One will be entrapped in personal dark  
Others will be yet babes, not yet standing.   
  
The second reign, marked by blood,  
will begin in darkness, deceit, death,  
fortunes of what will come to pass.  
It can be changed, paths can be altered, Death thwarted  
if those born unite together as brothers and sisters.  
They will unite, or all are doomed  
to fall under Death."_   
  
"That is the entire prophecy? You are certain?"   
  
"Yes my Lord, I am sure."   
  
"How many others know of this?"   
  
"Most know of Merlin's First Prophecy, but it's deemed as nonsense. There was one wizard in the Ministry who was beginning to translate it since Dumbledore began trying to convince the community that you had returned… I took care of him."   
  
In the dank, dark shadows a sadistic grin twisted its features into an evil smile.  
"Excellent."   
  
***   
  
Since Sirius had disappeared, every time Harry spoke to Orion all he could think about was his Godfather and how he was missing, how they had no idea how he was or where he was. And how he couldn't tell her she wasn't an orphan.   
  
"Hey Harry, are you staying for the Christmas Holidays?"   
  
Think of the devil. Well when didn't he stay? It wasn't like he was going to stay with the Dursleys was he?  
"Yeah -it's kind of my 'thing'."   
  
She raised her eyebrows, "Your 'thing'?"   
  
"Yep, I stay every holiday except for summer."   
  
"Ooh can I copy your thing?" she said, signing herself on to the list as Harry got behind her to do the same.  
The list wasn't very long, comprising of Hermione, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny (they all received a letter from their parents asking them to stay at school where they would be safe -Mrs. Weasley had also somewhat unsubtly told them not to do anything overtly stupid).   
  
"So what do we do in the holidays then?" she asked as he finished writing his own name on the parchment.  
"No schoolwork!" George cried. Hermione, however, went for a different option.   
  
"Homework and revision," she said, oblivious to the others staring at her, "Our OWL's are getting closer and neither of you two have made revision timetables!"   
  
"Um, neither have I?" Orion hesitantly added.   
  
"My point exactly!"   
  
"Let me guess Hermione," Ron groaned, "You've already made one?"   
  
The Look he received served the purpose of answering his question (yes), quietening him and making everybody else laugh as discreetly as possible.   
  
"I'm going to make you three timetables and _you are going to follow them_, alright?"  
She looked scarily like McGonagall, in fact is she put on a pair of glasses Harry would bet galleons she would be a younger version of their deputy Head.   
  
"What about Quidditch practice?" he asked.   
  
"I'll factor them in, don't worry Harry."  
He relaxed, as did Ron and they settled around the fire with a chess tournament with anybody who was willing against Ron.  
They all lost, one by one in sometimes boring and other time's spectacular ways. The list of losers included: Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Orion, Fred, George, Ginny and Orion and Neville (they worked together this time), Angelina, Seamus, Dean, numerous first years, a few second years and third years… the tournament went on for hours and the list grew almost as big as the grin on Ron's face by the end of it when there were no more takers.  
"Come on Ron, give us a break already -you won. Over, and over, and over, and over…" Orion was sprawled across the floor having a staring contest with Crookshanks as Hermione put the finishing touches to his revision timetable -it was colour coded and everything.  
"Actually, you know what -you're too good at this. I hate you."   
  
"No you don't."   
  
"Do."   
  
"Don't."   
  
"Do do do do do do!" A smile broke over her face in that moment that looked so much like Sirius Harry had to do a double take. How did he not notice it earlier was what he wanted to know, but then the smile was gone and Orion was going up to bed.   
  
"What time is it, Fred?"   
  
"About eleven thirty mate. We're the last ones up."   
  
"Oh gosh! We've got class tomorrow!" Hermione was packed up and taking her things up to her dormitory in five minutes. In that time all Harry had managed to do was read through his timetable a few times.   
  
"Hey Ron are you going to get some sleep or just mull over your victories all night?"   
  
"Um."   
  
"Right, g'night then."   
  
The last week of term was somewhat of a blur to Harry, but he could sum it up in one sentence: Sirius was still missing, he hadn't heard from Remus since and, perhaps the most worrying of all, Hedwig had returned the letter he'd written to Sirius with no reply and wasn't even opened.   
  
*   
  
On Christmas Day Orion was snuggled up in her covers, nice and warm and entirely not ready to get up until Hermione threw open the girls bed curtains, "Wake up Orion!"   
  
"Mmm."   
  
"It's Christmas, Orion."   
  
"Hap'y Chris'as -sleep?"   
  
"It's nine o'clock! Get up!" When no more movement came form the bundle she shook her gently, "Oh come on, please? And don't roll; you'll fall out of bed!"   
  
Orion halted mid-roll, "Whoah, ah, thanks Hermione."   
  
"Mm hmm." Crawling towards the end of the bed she paused. There was a small pile of presents on the floor. She grinned at Hermione, "I've got presents!"   
  
"Of course you have! Want to take them through to Harry and Ron? If they're not awake we could always…"   
  
Her face lit up, "Can you shrink these? I'll get the water."   
  
Three minutes later they padded quietly up the staircase to the boys dormitory, Hermione carrying her (now shrunken) presents and a goblet of freezing water for Ron and Orion with her own mini-presents and water for Harry.  
The snoring told them all they needed to know.   
  
Orion positioned herself by Harry's bedside and pulled the curtains apart,  
"Ready?"   
  
Hermione nodded.   
  
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS!"   
  
Harry was awake in seconds.  
"Wha- wha- cold!"   
  
"Morning Harry!"   
  
"HERMIONE!"   
  
"Happy Christmas, Ron." Hermione smiled.   
  
"Wh -why would you do something like this?" Ron spluttered, wiping the water from his face; Hermione had a good aim.   
  
"You're awake now aren't you?" she replied, changing her presents back to their normal size on the floor between the boys beds.   
  
"Bu-but -"   
  
"It's cold!" Harry said, putting on his glasses.   
  
"Stop complaining, Harry." said Hermione.   
  
Orion resized her own presents opposite Hermione in the small space and found Harry giving her an odd look.   
  
"What?"   
  
"I never figured you as one for bright pink pyjamas!"   
  
She stuck out her tongue, "Shut up -I'll have you know these are the height of fashion!"   
Truth was she hated these pyjamas, but the Williams hadn't exactly cared all too much about what she liked and what she didn't -especially when things were on special offer and they could save money. Like with these bright pink pyjamas.   
  
"When? Fifty years ago?"   
  
"Do you want me to throw more water on you?"   
  
Harry laughed and threw a pillow at her as he manoeuvred to grab one of his presents, a large and lumpy one in sparkly paper.  
Orion picked one of her own and tore off the paper -Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, from Ron.   
  
"Ron, do they mean every flavour or is it like, a euphemism for all the ones we think are nice?"   
  
"Nope, it's every flavour. You get cool ones like chocolate, lime and stuff, but then you get Earwax and broccoli,"   
  
"Brussels sprouts, sweat,"   
  
"Sweat?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
She looked at the box speculatively, "Interesting, I'll save those for a bit. What you got there Harry?"  
He held up a knitted emerald jumper with spark shaped gold patterns on it and a box of fairy cakes.   
  
"I see you got another one this year," Ron pulled out his own newly knitted jumper, "We get them every year, from my mum." He explained, tucking in to a large bit of flapjack that had come with the sweater.   
  
"Oh fudge!" Hermione cried, having opened her own present from Mrs. Weasley, "Lovely!"   
  
Orion didn't waste any more precious minutes before getting into the next present that was from Harry, "Harry what's Honeydukes?"   
  
"You are definitely going to Hogsmeade as soon as the years over," Ron said before Harry could start.   
  
"It's that place that sells all the sweets and stuff that we were telling you about ages ago." he explained, "The stuff is really nice!"   
  
She lifted out the second part of the present, "Okay, and what's a Sugar Quill?"   
  
"Eat it!"   
  
Seeing no reason not to, she stuck the Quill into her mouth… and it was sugar, lots of sugar that had gone straight to her head with a _zing_. "Blimey. These are nice!"   
Munching on her 'breakfast' she decided which present to open next, she had two left and one was obviously a book (a video was ruled out since there was no such thing as electricity any more) and the other was much smaller and harder to guess.  
Three rips later and the book was revealed, "A Pranksters Guide to Jokes" by A.N. Onymous.  
"Wicked Hermione! Hey," she paused, "How did you know it was me?"   
  
"I didn't do it and Lavender wouldn't do it to her best friend… so it was a bit of a no-though-needed."   
  
"Ah."   
  
"What did you do to her?" Ron asked with glee.   
  
"Nothing! Honest!"   
  
"Yeah right!" Harry laughed, "We'll just get Hermione to tell us later."   
  
"Go ahead because I have nothing to hide." Which wasn't the same as nothing, but this was fun and the prank had been hilarious, from her point of view anyway. Okay one last present and then it was all over for the year. The small, unidentifiable one in red and gold paper that didn't have a card. She looked at in curiously, turning it over in her hands.  
"What do you reckon this is?"   
  
"Dunno," Harry shrugged, "But I got one too. Did you two get one of these?" He held up his own, which was identical to hers, for Ron and Hermione to see.   
  
"No, mate."   
  
"Me either."   
  
Orion poked the present, "Might as well open it then… wow. Tissue paper!"   
Harry pulled the tissue paper off his own, "There's something in the paper, somewhere," he pulled off layer after layer until finally…  
"A key? Harry why do we have keys?"   
  
Hermione looked at them with raised eyebrows, as did Ron but neither said anything.   
  
"I wonder where the lock is." Harry mused, and put it on the cabinet by his bed.   
  
***   
  
"Are you lot going to stay inside all day or do you want to come outside with us two,"   
  
"Who are remarkably more handsome than our dear little brother,"   
  
"Shut up George."   
  
Fred continued despite the interruptions, "And have some fun in the snow?"   
  
"Hang on, just let me do this. Check mate, Orion."   
  
"Oh for crying out loud!"   
  
"I think," Harry gasped between breaths, "you've just been thrashed in _five moves_!"   
  
Orion frowned, "Snow sounds fantastic."   
  
Out on the grounds a thick blanket of snow had covered everything and tucked it in for a very secure nap under the winter sky. The stillness was violently disturbed by seven Gryffindors as they ran yelling and screaming through the snow whilst hurling snowballs at each other.   
  
"Every kid for themselves!" Fred cried, levitating six snowballs and releasing them at each person simultaneously.   
  
As it was, alliances soon formed anyway: Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny worked together to get Fred, George and Orion. One fast and furious fight later there were seven very wet Gryffindors that trampled onto the Quidditch grounds, shaking snow off their cloaks as they entered the stands and chatting happily away trying to decide who'd one or lost. Both sides maintained that they had won fair and square, but as that was not possible there was only one solution,   
  
"Maybe we drew?" Ginny ventured cautiously,   
  
"What, like we both won?" said Orion,   
  
"That doesn't sound so bad," Hermione agreed, "No one lost! What do you say Harry? Ron?"   
  
"Uh,"   
  
"Fred? George?"   
  
"Fine." The four boys agreed, dropping their cloaks on the seats almost simultaneously.   
  
"We're going to practice if you three want to stay here." Ron said, and away they went.   
  
Orion sat in one of the seats, putting her feet onto the one in front, "What are they practising for if the rest of the team isn't here?"   
  
"Ron needs the practice." Ginny said, "We only won the last match against Slytherin because Harry caught the Snitch so early -we were loosing fifty points to twenty before that."   
  
"But Seamus said that wasn't too bad, that we could've easily come back from it?"   
  
"We might've done or they might've completely beaten us into the ground, so that's why Ron's putting in some extra practice."   
  
Hermione was intrigued, "Since when did you become such a Quidditch enthusiast?"   
  
Ginny gave her a dry look, "I have six brothers, five of who are addicted to it. It was a pull to hard to resist I guess."   
  
Up in the chilly air Fred, George and Harry made lines of Quaffles and threw one after another at Ron from as many different angles they could, trying out different speeds, different heights -George even started to put spins on them as Ron started to catch more of them.  
Harry was happy to note that there was improvement in his friends' ability over the time that they practiced, which he also noted had been going on for quite a time now, judging by the numbness in his legs and behind and the darkening sky.  
The others must've been thinking along the same lines because Ron held up his hands for a break as George called a time-out.  
"I think that's enough for today, I mean I don't know about you but I can't feel anything from the waist down!" Harry said as they hovered mid-air,   
  
"Nothing?" Fred asked with raised eyebrows, "So you wouldn't mind if we accidentally hit you in the -"   
  
"Shut up, Fred."   
  
"Sure, mate."   
  
"C'mon, lets go see the others."  
They glided down to the stands and grinned at the girls.   
  
"Nice moves Ron!" Ginny congratulated, "Can I have a go on your broom now?"   
  
Ron agreed (albeit a little reluctantly) and Ginny zoomed off as Orion watched with interest.   
  
Harry watched her looking at Ginny and realised with mortification that during her catch-up summer she'd probably never been taught how to use a broom, "Want to learn how to fly? You can borrow mine and we'll teach you."   
  
Orion hesitated, "Uh, sure."   
  
While Ginny watched from thirty feet above them Harry began instructing her on how to call a broom, how to mount it and eventually how to ride it.   
  
"Do you have any idea how weird this is?" she said going round in a circle, "I'm flying!"   
  
Harry smiled, maybe Sirius was somewhere nearby, and if he was maybe he'd see her flying for the first time.   
  
***   
  
Professor Dumbledore sat in Sirius' converted basement with Alastor Moody. Grave looks were etched onto both of their faces, and Moody's mad eye roamed constantly around in its socket -keeping an eye out for eaves droppers of any kind and Sirius, whether he fell into the first category or not was unknown.   
  
"Is Skizzen still missing?" the old Headmaster asked,   
  
Moody grimaced, "Yes, but we have got our bets on what happened to him lying with Voldemort."   
  
He nodded slowly, that was not entirely unexpected but disturbing nonetheless. "Did he leave anything…"   
  
"He finished the translation and owled it to the checkpoint, as well as who he suspected it concerned. Figg thinks he knew they were after him, the notes were rushed and sealed well and truly -nearly lost my eyebrows getting that thing open the first time."   
  
"Ah, that would explain the singed look you are sporting." Dumbledore munched on a Flying Saucer from a bowl on the table between them, "What do we know?"   
  
"We know the entire prophecy, and a good portion of what it means, but Fletcher's concerned -if Voldemort's the reason Skizzen is missing then he's probably on to the prophecy as well. There's been some unusual goings on apparently,"   
  
Dumbledore's eyes widened imperceptibly and the twinkle dimmed a little, "In what way?"   
  
"Weasley's been doing a good job, he's getting as many as he can to listen to us while keeping his job, but he's noticed quite a few are acting a little unusual, and Beyan says that we're not the only ones that have been accessing Merlin's archives -somebody else was in there before us, not long before but it's still cause for concern. Those archives hadn't been touched for years before now,"   
  
"Because the majority thought his first prophecy was questionable, and still think of it as such." he finished with a sigh, "And the majority still believe Sirius is guilty."   
  
"Still missing is he?"   
  
"Nobodies seen him since the school Hogsmeade trip, Remus is worried sick and Harry is too no doubt." He shook his head, "If the Ministry had allowed her to be raised in the Wizarding World this never would have been a problem, if we'd been allowed to tell her who she was this never would have been a problem, if Cornelius Fudge would just open his eyes -"   
  
Moody growled, "You're getting sentimental in your old age Albus: there's no use looking at what ifs if you're not prepared to do anything about them. If you go back fifteen years you could say what if Black had told you about the swap, would the Potters still be alive. If the Potters were still alive, would Voldemort have won that war? If the Potters were still alive, Black would have been at home and maybe all of them would be dead."   
  
"Maybe. Tell me Alastor, have you ever tried these Flying Saucers?"   
  



	12. Chapter Twelve: People in danger

**Authors Notes: Whoah... amazingly speedy update! PLEASE REVIEW! I need some encouragement to continue through GCSE's :( they're mean!**   
  
**Review Thank Yous-**  
**Hatchetryda:** Oooo a psychic one ;) I saw it coming too... but then again i'm the writer MUAH HA! This chapter isn't very long actually...  
**anna:** **blush** awww thanks!  
**Darienetta Stoke:** soon enough for ya?! aren't I good to you, even after you dragged me over the field :P  
  
_I've made a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update (since it takes SO long for me to actually finish a chapter!)-just leave your e-mail address in your review and say you wanna be added =)_  
Please R/R! :)   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
**Chapter Twelve**  
  
Sirius transformed back to his human form with practised ease and on a moth-bitten couch in his grandfathers mansion. Black Manor was the last place anybody would come to look for him on the premise that he and his grandmother had not gotten on too well, well, that and the wards good old granny had place on the place before she died. Only a Black could find or even see the place -she didn't want anybody else stealing the precious heirlooms she'd cared about so much… he'd always like his grandfather more. He liked Quidditch.   
  
It had been four days since he overheard his daughter was alive. Four days since he'd learnt Remus had lied to him. Four days he'd spent sneaking into Muggle offices and finding out as much as possible about what had happened to his daughter in the last fifteen years and stealing bits of food from the local town market in his dog form.  
He understood why Dumbledore had kept it from him, but not Remus. Remus knew how much he'd loved Jess and Orion. If he knew Orion was alive why did he let her grow up in the Wizarding world? Even if she couldn't live with him a magic orphanage would've been better than the Muggle family she'd lived with for over a decade.  
And what did the Ministry have to do with it?   
  
Sirius started to pace. He wanted to see her, see how she'd grown… she was in Gryffindor, friends with Harry, learning magic five years later than everybody else… he needed to see her, even if it was from a distance. He was going to have to go back, talk to Dumbledore and sort things out because when he was free she was going to live with him too; Harry, Orion and he living in Jess and his old house.  
Yes. It was time to go to Hogwarts. Grabbing his cloak he Apparated to Hogsmeade without a further thought.   
  
In a quieter part of the town he transformed into a dog and padded through to the kitchen of The Three Broomsticks and scratched at the door until Rosmerta came. She smiled at him, "Good to have you back."   
  
He barked a thank you and sprinted through the back steps to the rooms upstairs, only changing back once he was sure the door was closed. He already knew Remus was there; a benefit of his dog form was the much-heightened sense of smell that came with it, but that didn't mean he was ready to talk to him yet.   
  
"Padfoot -" However, apparently Remus was.   
  
"Not now Moony. I, I can't talk to you. Not now. I need to get a message to Dumbledore. I want to speak to my daughter."   
  
"Padfoot look at me, hear me out at least!"   
  
"You lied to me Moony! For the last what? Three years you've lied to me!"   
  
"No! Sirius," Remus stood barely a foot in front of him, desperation in his eyes, "I've only known since the summer -"   
  
"Oh so that's alright then is it? I thought my daughter was **dead** Remus! That isn't a happy thought -I was left with thoughts of my baby dying at the hands of Deatheaters for _thirteen years_. Everyday I thought of what they might have done to Jess before they killed her! Now I find out that my last friend lied to me! That my baby is alive and the love of my life died alone in a Muggle hospital with no one to hold her! What is there to hear out?"   
  
"I did what I thought was best for her, Sirius." Remus' voice was quiet, filled with the regret he had felt since he'd Orion up from the Williams in June. "Dumbledore only found out that she was still alive a year ago. Since Harry's Second Year he checks all the underage improper uses of magic's that are reported, in case Harry uses magic accidentally again, like in his Third Year, and Fudge tries to expel him. But some time last year he noted an underage improper of magic that had been reported but never cautioned, he looked into it and after some of his probing he found that Jess and Orion had been found at that Muggle hospital a few miles from your old house,"   
  
"County Royal?"   
  
"Yes, but that was a week after you'd been put into Azkaban and they decided that Orion should not be allowed in the Wizarding world because they thought she would turn into the murderer they think you are -"   
  
"That's ridiculous!" Sirius raged.   
  
"They were afraid, Sirius, and scared people do stupid things. Obviously once Dumbledore found this out he started to appeal for Orion to be sent to school at Hogwarts and it took him this long to get it. He had to edit the lists so that her name wouldn't appear 'Orion Black' -"   
  
"What? Why?"   
  
"The only way Fudge would agree to her getting a magical education was if she didn't know she was related to you, I believe he phrased it 'who knows what brainwashing Black used on that child. The perfect chance for him to raise the perfect operative for You-Know-Who.'  
Dumbledore decided that the best way to keep Orion's family a secret from her was to keep her a secret from you."   
  
"She's my child!"   
  
"I know, Sirius, but it was the only way."   
  
"I need to talk to Dumbledore, I want to see her and I want to hear all about her, Remus."   
  
Remus gave him the smallest of smiles, "You'd be better off asking Harry, Ron or Hermione, but what do you want to know?"   
  
Sirius gave him a genuine smile and began to light the fire, "Anything… what does she look like? What does she like? What doesn't she like? Everything!"   
  
Passing him a piece of wood Remus remembered his first meeting with Orion, "She's a lot like you really but Jess is in there in more subtle ways… she's got your hair, and somehow she's got both your eyes, one is blue like yours, and the other is brown like Jess's. She loves everything magic Padfoot, she's fascinated by it… she plays pranks, she's smart, quick… Sirius she's so much like the two you."   
  
Sirius looked into the now roaring fire and threw in some Floo Powder, "Are you coming?"   
  
"Be right behind you," he said, "and Sirius?"  
Sirius paused, about to throw the powder into the fire.   
  
"I'm sorry."   
  
"I know, Moony." Maybe he understood a little now, he didn't have to like it though. Throwing the powder in, he stepped into the coloured flames, "Headmasters Office, Hogwarts!"  
Personally, Sirius had never been overly fond of travelling by Floo -it tended to bump and jostle him a little too much for his liking but it got him from A to B without being detected by the Ministry so, right now, he didn't have much of a choice and when he fell out of the fire grate in Professor Dumbledore's office, he was covered in soot.   
  
"Good afternoon, Sirius," the headmaster greeted with a slight hint of surprise, "to what do I owe this pleasure?"   
  
"Just a moment, Headmaster."   
And Remus arrived, as promised, right behind him.   
"Oof! Thanks Moony!" He said, helping his friend to his feet after he'd fallen to the floor, having ended up there when he collided with Sirius.   
  
"Remus." Dumbledore greeted, "I presume I know what this is about?"   
  
Sirius didn't spare him a smile now. He was so close. "Where's Orion? She's in lessons now, what does she have?"   
  
Dumbledore shook his head gravely, "I cannot allow that, Sirius. She cannot know who you are: the Ministry have forbidden it."   
  
"I don't care what the Ministry thinks!" Sirius' eyes darkened and he made to move to the door, "They took thirteen years from me, they won't take my daughter from me too!"   
  
"Padfoot," Remus placed a hand on his friends chest, "There must be another way, Professor? Maybe he could just see her? The staff know he's innocent, let Sirius come as Snuffles with you through the school."   
  
Sirius' eyes blazed with hope; he'd take anything he could get right now.   
  
***   
  
Dumbledore's cloaks swirled around him as he walked through the echoing corridors of Hogwarts. Muffled sounds from the occasionally classrooms were the only indication that it was inhabited. A dog padded along eagerly beside him, a huge, black dog with shaggy fur and a big wet nose and intelligent eyes.  
The Headmaster stopped at one classroom door and nodded to the canine beside him,  
"She's in this class," he said in a low voice.  
The dog looked down to each end of the corridor, cocking his head to listen and sniffing before changing into a man and looking through the window.   
  
"Which one is she?" Sirius asked,   
  
"Do you see the two girls standing at the front?"   
Sirius nodded,   
"Orion is the one on the left, with the long black hair."   
  
"She's so much like Jess," he said, breathless.   
  
Dumbledore looked at his former student sadly, "We must go, Sirius, you cannot be seen by her or especially one of the other students."   
  
"I just want to talk to her, for a few minutes, see what she's like, what she sounds like…"   
  
"Sirius we must leave."   
  
He shook his head, "Just a bit longer,"   
  
Abruptly he dropped to the floor and paled,   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"I -you -she -she…" he transformed into Snuffles and sprang away seconds before the door opened.   
  
Dumbledore smiled brightly, "Good afternoon,"   
  
Professor Tasny looked sharply up and down the corridor, "Hello Professor Dumbledore, can I help you with something?"   
  
"No, no, nothing at all; I was just taking a stroll through the castle and I'm afraid I caught myself spying in on several lessons and I must say yours is the most interesting so far, what are you covering today?"   
  
"Stunning, Headmaster."   
  
"Sounds like a lot of fun, though I think I will pass this time. Good-bye!" He strolled away in the opposite direction to Sirius, smiling jovially.   
  
Professor Tasny's smile disappeared the minute Dumbledore turned a corner. She was positive she'd seen Black, she'd bet her life on it.  
They were in danger.   
  
  
  
*****  
**Post A/N:** Whoah. I think this is the shortest chapter I've ever written for this story! :O PLEASE REVIEW! I'll give you plushie dolls!!   
  
  
  



	13. Chapter Thirteen: Just when things are l...

**Authors Notes:** Planned out the rest of the fic now and the beginning of the sequel so now it's just a matter of writing it. Please REVIEW :( I live on reviews and i'm starving now!   
  
**Review Thank You's-**  
**serrebi:** :D  
**Darienetta Stoke:** --hands her a plushie doll--  
**I'm not the weakest link**   
  
**Chapter Thirteen**  
  
Harry doodled a snitch on the parchment that held his half finished revision notes for the levitation charm Wingardium Leviosa, blinking hard. It was well into the night as he waited for a familiar head to appear in the fire before him. Sirius had contacted him via an owl the day before, well; Snuffles did, as the entire note was 'Tomorrow, same time as last' and a paw print. The last time was last year when he needed advice during the Tri-Wizard Tournament.   
  
"Morning Harry," The head in the fire greeted in a low voice.   
  
"Sirius!" Harry jumped off the armchair and knelt down in front of the flames.   
  
"How're you doing? How's school?"   
  
Harry waved off his questions impatiently, "Where've you been? Where did you go? How come you didn't tell me?"   
  
Sirius frowned, the lines creasing his forehead, "I needed some time to think, Harry -it was nothing to do with you and you shouldn't have worried."   
  
"What if Voldemort got you?" Harry hissed. This wasn't the way he'd imagined this conversation to go, although he'd never imagined his Godfather to have a family either.   
  
"Harry -"   
  
"Sirius!"   
  
Harry sighed, since when was he acting like the responsible adult?   
  
"Harry I just needed to get away, leave it at that."   
  
"Fine." He paused, "I'm sorry about Jess."   
  
Sirius nodded, "I think you would've liked her,"   
  
Now it was Harry's turn to nod -it wasn't like there was much he could say and there were only so many times you could hear 'I'm sorry for your loss' before the words became meaningless. He didn't want to be meaningless to Sirius and nor did he want to offer him empty words of condolences. He'd do the best he could.   
  
"Want to hear about Orion?"   
  
----   
  
It was the middle of the night, at least, by his reckoning and there was another full moon in two weeks, which meant he would be fine until then.  
Remus walked through the well-oiled gate, noticing how there was now no squeak and that somebody had taken the time to at least tame the garden… though the path still wasn't very clear, and the bush that ran down the far side of the front garden still looked like it owned the place -the branches reached regally over the front wall and stretched royally through the now only mid-calf height grass.  
Nobody else would be able to see the house if they hadn't been told where it was exactly, the house number, by the Secret Keeper… so to anybody looking at them right now he was walking into what? Nowhere? Except any Muggle who came nearby suddenly had to leave. His head hurt thinking about all the spells on this one house.   
"Nice of you to join us, Remus." Yesi greeted when he finally walked through the (freshly painted) door.   
  
"You're welcome, am I the last -"   
  
"One to arrive?" she interrupted, locking the door before following him to the basement, "Yes, since Sirius isn't coming."   
  
"He's talking to Harry from Molly's kitchen." He added helpfully, "He wanted to let him know that he's back. What's the meeting about?" lowering his voice as they sat down in the quite comfy chair.   
  
"Something to do with the prophecy," she responded in the same quiet voice; Bella was getting ready to speak, and after a quick welcome she got down to business.   
  
"We've come to a point where we know some of the people mentioned in the prophecy, however it has been hard to decipher even as far as we have due to a certain Minister…" A mumble of annoyance ran through the basement come hall at the mention of Fudge. "But we know that one is Harry Potter, another is Sirius Black. The problem is we don't know how many Voldemort knows about." Another mumble, if Voldemort knew more than the Order then there was a serious danger.   
  
----   
  
A circle of cloaked and masked figures stood rigidly in a circle around the throne. It wasn't a large group, six in all -the most faithful and trustworthy of his most dedicated followers. Voldemort sat on his throne; Nagini curled up by his side.  
There was only one report left, and all save one had pleased him greatly.  
The Ministry, on the other hand, were beginning to annoy him. Malfoy's report on conversions in the Ministry was not good. Arthur Weasley, the one that was a traitor to all Purebloods, was convincing people that he was back and as much of a danger as ever -and since there was no proof that he had returned (on one hand a blessing) there was nothing to persuade those in useful positions with.  
Most unfortunate.   
  
"What have you got for me? Improvement I hope."   
  
"There has been a development, I believe I have identified those involved in the prophecy and." The final Deatheater started, her voice identifying her as a woman, "I'm certain Black was at Hogwarts, my Lord."   
  
No emotion showed on the pale face or in the red slits, "Black?"   
  
"Yes, my Lord."   
  
"And you say you've finished with the prophecy?"   
  
"Yes, my Lord. I believe those involved to be Gabrielle Delacour, Alexandra Louis, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Ronald Weasley, Orion Taylor and Hermione Granger, Sirius Black and Yesminda Beyan."   
  
"Why are so many Gryffindors?" He spat.   
  
"I believe that they all share some sense of right and wrong -light and dark- that gives them more power against us than most. The sense of good against evil is, as you know very strong in the Gryffindor house."   
  
"My Lord?" Malfoy stepped forward, head bowed low,   
  
"What is it Lucious?"   
  
"I heard something from Fudge, I was talking to him about how chaotic and disorganised Hogwarts has become since Dumbledore took over and he let something slip, my Lord. He said Dumbledore even wanted the 'children of murderers schooled'."   
  
"And you believe he meant…"   
  
"There was another rumour that I did not see to mention as I thought it bore no interest, however there have been several unchecked misuses of magic over the years which stopped this summer. Then the lists were edited and Hogwarts got a new student: Orion Taylor."   
  
"Edited to what?"   
  
"I couldn't determine that, my Lord. I believe she's the daughter of Sirius Black."   
  
"That will not do. Crucio!"   
  
Malfoy fell to the ground, limbs twitching until Voldemort got tired of the punishment and lifted the curse. He turned to the woman,   
  
"Could this be true?"   
  
"Definitely, my Lord. She resembles Black a great deal, and his wife escaped before we could finish with her."   
  
"Well well," he twirled the wand through his fingers, "this does change things. You will make sure that all of those Gryffindors are in Hogsmeade on Thursday night -make sure you are in the fields, away from the main village and we will be waiting for you." He turned to the rest of his innermost circle, his voice even more menacing, "I want them alive."   
  
----   
  
**A/N: So what do you think's gonna happen? What do you think of the writing, of the characterisations? Hell flame me if you want! **


	14. Chapter Fourteen: A Deatheaters Plan in ...

**Authors Notes:** Hmmm. Getting depressed about lack of reviews... am dying from Feedback Starvation. It's a very serious thing!   
  
**Review Thank You's-**  
**serrebi:** g I sooo love your reviews! They make me happy :D  
**Darienetta Stoke:** sigh i won't give up on it.... it just won't be at the top of my 'to write' list from now on, since nobody seems to like it. It will get finished though -for you and Serrebi :D   
  
**Chapter Fourteen**   
  
"Sirius why are we coming out here?"   
  
The evening was still as Remus hurried after his friend through the streets of Hogsmeade. Sirius was, of course, in his dog form and as so couldn't answer but that didn't mean he didn't hear the question.  
He barked and ran faster, making Remus sprint in the process. The cobbled stones beneath his feet began to thin out, turning into a well-worn path as the shops and houses became more and more spread out.  
Remus clambered over the fence that Sirius had slipped through easily and struggled to keep the black dog in sight through the high grass in the fields. Finally he stopped behind an outcropping of rocks.  
"You better have a good reason for this Padfoot."   
  
"I saw someone out here last night. Something's going to happen, Moony, something bad."   
  
His friend had truly crossed the line into insanely paranoid. "And how did you get to that conclusion?"   
  
Sirius threw his hands into the air and ran them through his hair, hair that was lengthening once more. "The smell. It smelt _familiar_, like," he paced and stared at the darkening sky, "Something bad is going to happen here Moony, you have to understand me!" he repeated desperately.  
  
Concern filled the other man, "What did it smell like, Sirius?"   
  
"It's not important! You've just got to believe me!"   
  
"What, Sirius? What does it smell like?" Remus held Sirius by the shoulders, unmoving. There were very few times when being a Werewolf had its advantages, but the enhanced strength did come in handy occasionally.   
  
"You'll think I'm crazy if I tell you."   
  
He smiled lightly, "I already do, my old friend."   
  
"Remus! I'm being serious!"   
  
"Then tell me!"   
  
Sirius sighed and sank to the floor, like a heavy weight sat on his shoulders that he couldn't hold up for much longer.  
"In the nursery, after,"   
  
"After you got home that night?" Remus continued quietly,   
  
He nodded.   
  
Realization dawned. "You're worried that it was a Deatheater here, last night?"   
  
Another nod.   
  
"Have you told Dumbledore?"   
  
A shake of the head, then, "I could be completely wrong, I don't need to bother Dumbledore with my suspicions."   
  
"You mean paranoia?"   
  
"Shut up, Moony."   
  
Choosing to ignore that comment he spoke again, "So what are you going to do about it?"   
  
"What're _we're_ going to do, _old friend_. We're having a few nights out in the wilds."   
  
----   
  
The night air blanketed everything with thick cotton wool, nothing moved and the stars hid from sight behind a thick shield of clouds.   
  
----   
  
The night air blanketed everything with thick cotton wool, nothing moved and the stars hid from sight behind a thick shield of clouds.   
  
Harry rolled his eyes at Ron and laughed with everyone else. Ron was currently prancing through the grass, doing an impression of Pansy Parkinson from their confrontation earlier that day.  
Neville was talking shyly with a Hufflepuff girl whose name Harry couldn't remember, but if it had been daylight Harry would place his whole small fortune that the Gryffindor was blushing.   
  
"Sweet, aren't they?" Orion whispered from behind where she'd been talking with Hermione.   
  
"I head that he asked her out." Lavender supplied not quite so quietly. She was promptly told to hush up.   
  
Professor Tasny led her group of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs through the tangled knee-high grass, keeping a watchful eye on all of them. Their plan, so carefully planned over the last two weeks, would go smoothly as a knife cut through butter.  
Making sure she had all their attentions she smiled, "Alright class, who can tell me what a 'Will on the Wisp' does? Or why are they so dangerous?"   
  
Predictably, Hermione Granger raised her hand,  
"Will on the Wisps hold up magical lights on meadows, hoping to lure lost travellers to lakes and cliffs."   
  
"Correct Miss Granger, I'll be sure to add five points to Gryffindor when we get back. Can any one tell me what the little critters look like?"  
Cue said, a flash of light shot into the sky from behind a nearby group of trees. The Dark Mark bloomed, glowing an eerie green.  
Lavender Brown screamed, but was drowned out by the multiple cracks that followed. Robed Figures began appearing around the Fifth Years, masks concealing their faces and wands pointed menacingly.  
Four rushed forward, pulling a select four students from their mist and holding them around the throat.  
"Time to say goodbye." One of the figures muttered sadistically before reaching into his pocket and disappearing. The final three were quick to follow suit.  
A huge black dog leapt out of hiding to where one of them had been standing, snarling with its teeth bared.  
Tasny let a smile fill her features as she pulled Orion Taylor roughly by the hood of her cloak and held her wand to her throat staring at the dog, as she spoke, "Mustn't forget about you The Dark Lord would be ever so displeased if I didn't get you, Orion Black. Why don't you wave goodbye to your father?"   
  
And then she touched the Portkey.   
  



	15. Chapter Fifteen: Rescuers Captured!

**Authors Notes:** Notes and reviews at the end of the chapter...  
-------

**Chapter Fifteen**   
  
Harry pulled on the chains that bound him to the stone pillar futilely.  
Was there a secret meeting place where dark wizards met and decided which of them was going to take a position as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts? It was a feat of odds to have three of five teachers working for or with Voldemort. And another didn't even know what he was teaching.  
He tugged on the chains again, harder.  
In the two minutes since the Deatheaters left nothing more than their predicament was revealed… the obvious was that they were in a lot of trouble.  
A soft sobbing reminded him of Gabrielle, Fleur's younger sister from the TriWizard Tournament last year. So far he counted himself, Hermione, Ron, Neville, three Hufflepuffs: Justin, Susan and Hannah, Gabrielle, an American witch called Stacey Signi, an two older Italian twins called Niko and Cirocco Dante, as well as a Polish girl called Freda Fine and a Bulgarian wizard named Alfred Palski.  
Their only source of light came from a window behind them, casting dim moonlit shadows and Harry wondered what on Earth Voldemort would want with thirteen students -it didn't fit with his previous experiences of threats and torture.  
The sound of wood grating against stone bought all their attentions to the murky darkness ahead.   
Glowing crimson eyes assured Harry who it was.  
"What do you want?"  
  
The insane being, (Harry couldn't bear to think that at one point it was a boy who used to attend Hogwarts so many years ago) cackled.  
  
"Nothing." Gliding from the shadows he stood before Harry, observing him. "Not all the guests have arrived and the audience is only just getting through the entrance. Why would I defeat you once and for all and all you pathetic children, without anybody to watch?"  
Next to Hermione, Gabrielle's cries got louder. Desperately trying to calm the girl, Hermione began whispering to her, offering as much comfort as she could whilst having both their arms tied up to a pillar.  
"Ah, here they come." Averting his gaze he stepped to the side, returning to the darkness.  
  
With a rush of spells, hexes and curses figures began crowding through the doorway. Some, clothed in the garb of Deatheaters were on the defensive as members of the Order of the Phoenix pushed forwards.  
Harry's elation was short-lived. Voldemort's was extended.  
A fresh wave of Deatheaters emerged from their previously silent and unseen vigils, invisible in the shadows, surrounding the would-be rescuers in one swift movement.  
Flanked by two of his loyal followers, the snake-like being made his presence known.  
"Give me Sirius Black and Yesminda Beyan, and I will not harm the children."  
  
Sirius and Yesi immediately made to step forward but Dumbledore held a hand out.  
"He knows about the prophecy, it's a trick."  
  
"Their lives are worth more than the prophecy!" said Yesi, glowering at their captors.   
  
"If you go to him he'll kill all of you. If you don't he has no reason to kill them, he has to kill all of you in one sweep to end the prophecy."   
  
Voldemort hissed a menacing cackle, and with a wave of his hand Tasny walked in with Orion at wand point.  
Voice taunting he leered at the adults enclosed by his Deatheaters.  
"You'll both come if you want his daughter to live."  
  
-------------------------------------------------   
  
**Authors Notes:** Since i get about 2 reviews a chapter and it's getting hard to write... i'm focusing on my other stories at the moment, so sorry about the short, shitty and far-between chapters :S   
  
**Review Thank You's-**  
**Name1:** haaay :) i like new reviewers! sorry about the shortness :S  
**Walk Through Shadows:** _sigh_ i am i am... just not very motivated with it any more :(


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Magicked Sixteen

**Authors Notes:** Hmmm. Getting depressed about lack of reviews... am dying from Feedback Starvation. It's a very serious thing!   
  
**Chapter Sixteen**   
  
The air around her chaffed with suspense, danger and anxiety written into every twitch and breath of every body in the room, save the one called Voldemort who seemed to be unaffected by everything.  
Orion found herself wishing for the times when the most dangerous thing in her life was putting up with the biggest kids in school and getting caught after a prank. Now she was held at wand point and being held hostage to bribe a man they claimed to be her father.  
Tasny (was that even her real name?) whispered a sentence, to quiet even for Orion's ears as close as they were, and a tingle ran down her spine.  
Things had certainly changed some since the day she got the letter -apparently she had a last name. Black.  
Though she tried to keep it at bay fear began to creep through her, edging though bones and stealing into her muscles, pulling them taut and making it harder to breathe.  
This was not right, in so many ways.  
_Figures in cloaks hidden behind faceless masks.  
A woman screaming.  
Them laughing.  
_Images oh-so-familiar invaded her mind and she began to tremble.  
  
It was happening again.   
  
---   
  
Harry watched the scene unfold with growing anger. Orion was paler than Nearly-Headless Nick, Sirius was practically transparent himself and Voldemort was radiating an irritating sense of glee at the situation.  
No one moved, frozen in place by the last words spoken as if they were a spell.  
This was all Voldemort's fault. Voldemort and his never-ending need for power and eternal life. Voldemort and his sordid followers who didn't question and didn't care. Voldemort and a world that fear him so much most were too afraid to stop him.  
Rage boiled over from the recesses of his mind where every wrong collected and gained strength from its peers.  
High up and behind him the lone window exploded. Shards of glass burst towards the Deatheaters, distracting them in a shower of cries and shouts.  
  
The blast pulled Harry into the present, having lessened the fury for now, also woke up Sirius. Leaping to Tasny he pushed her to the floor, grabbed Orion and rushed towards where Harry and the others were still chained, Yesi hot on his heels and deflecting shots from those who had got their senses about them quicker than others.   
  
Colour flashes of curses flew back and forth as the Order began their duels. Dumbledore and Voldemort engaged like two bulls locking horns, hexing back and forth quicker than the eye could see.   
  
Sirius undid the locks that bound them to the pillar, not pausing for breath before pushing everyone to a safer position -behind a fallen pillar. Hermione scooped up Gabrielle, Ron and Justin each took one of the six-year-old Italian twins, Niko and Cirocco.  
"What now? Alfred called in thickly accented English, having to shout to be heard over the din.  
  
"What was that prophecy they were talking about, Sirius? Tell us everything you know, maybe then we can figure out what You-Know-Who wants!" Hermione cried barely a second after Alfred finished   
  
Yesi continued to hold off a trio of Deatheaters as Sirius replied, temporarily distracted,  
_"In the ninth age, during first reign of Death  
Bonds will be bound  
of blood and betrayals.  
There will be born  
those to defeat the darkness.  
  
"Two will perish on the eve of the grey days  
Others will be lost through their own faults  
One will be entrapped in personal dark  
Others will be yet babes, not yet standing.  
  
"The second reign, marked by blood,  
will begin in darkness, deceit, death,  
fortunes of what will come to pass.  
It can be changed, paths can be altered, Death thwarted  
if those born unite together as brothers and sisters.  
They will unite, or all are doomed  
to fall under Death.  
_  
"We knew that one of them was Harry and one of them was me, but that's it!"   
  
Harry watched Orion and Hermione in turn. Orion was still sheet white, like everyone else, but her eyes weren't focused, and Hermione was working through the new challenge, muttering to herself about numbers by herself until Stacey joined in with her own rapid ideas, closely joined by Freda and Alfred, Susan and Hannah.  
"There're sixteen of us." Said one,  
  
"But some died before," said another.   
  
"But there's always been sixteen of us in the end." That was Justin.   
  
Neville looked at Harry, "The day you defeated Voldemort the first time, when he went away for awhile…"   
  
Harry caught on quickly, "That was when my parents died _'Two will perish on the eve of the grey days'_ -that's them!"   
  
"_'The second reign, marked by blood,'_ Harry, that was you and Wormtail's blood."   
  
"_'Others will be lost through their own faults'_ bet you that was Wormtail too mate." Ron's voice was hoarse and Cirocco's hands stayed gripped to his cloak.   
  
"But how can we all unite? We're all different!" Stacey shook her head and ran a hand through dyed red hair.   
  
Harry didn't know either, so he turned away to watch the battles as they unfolded further, trying to decipher who was winning and who was loosing.  
The Order was gradually pressing the Deatheaters back, now that there were none hidden in the shadows to ambush them. At Dumbledore and Voldemort, on the otherhand, was impossible to decide who had the upper hand. Wands swished and hands flicked quicker than the eye could see, voices raised to shout spells in English or languages that were probably long dead to most. Below him, it was as if the ground was fighting itself.   
  
"Blood." Hermione breathed,   
  
"What?" They all asked, for she'd spoken too quietly to be heard.   
  
"Blood!" she shouted, "That's how this all started and that's the only way we can all unite! Where do you think the term 'blood brothers' came from? It was two wizards who shared their blood to share and increase their power in the Magic Wars years ago! I need a wand, or a knife!"   
  
Yesi, who'd been listening as closely as she dared without detracting her attention from the fight at hand, summoned a larger piece of the fallen glass and transfigured it to a dagger, crystalline translucent, and pushed it to them.  
Hermione sat Gabrielle on the ground next to her, picked up the dagger, held out her palm and drew the blade along her skin from below her forefinger, across her palm to the edge of her palm opposite her thumb, repeating the motion on her other hand.  
"Everyone do that on both your hands," she looked at Gabrielle who'd started to scream at the sight of the blood, "Gabrielle you have to do it, okay? If you want one of us will do it, it doesn't hurt too much and we can heal it afterwards, when all the bad people are gone."  
Gabrielle stopped screaming, staring as Alfred (the oldest other than Sirius and Yesi at twenty) cut Niko and Cirocco's palms as gently as possible before doing his own and passing the dagger to Justin. She nodded, seeing the two younger twins not cry out.  
Harry took the dagger carefully and shook Orion, who still hadn't focused.  
The ground shook with trembled beneath them, more noticeable this time.  
"Orion… Orion?" No response, "Orion! Wake up!" He accompanied the last words with a slap on the arm, and her jerking forward, looking around quickly, rewarded him.  
  
"What…what happened?"   
  
Harry was taken aback. How could she not know? He didn't have time to explain now! "We're going to stop Voldemort once and for all! You've got to cut your palms like I do!"   
  
Noting the lines of blood that appeared just seconds after he drew the slits he watched Orion copy him exactly and got Sirius' attention.  
"You've got to cut your palms, then make Yesi do it!"   
  
In painstaking slow motion, Sirius and Yesi ducked lower and completed their own cuts.   
  
"Now everyone join hands in a circle!" Hermione ordered.   
  
Harry took Orion's and Hannah's feeling heady. This had to work. Voldemort had to be stopped.   
  
In the duel across the room, Dumbledore was thinking the same thing as the power each used in spell after curse, curse after hex, increased.  
The walls began to shudder as magic filled the room, saturating the air and the ground quaked under his feet.  
From the corner of his eye, he saw a glowing light rising from behind a pillar.  
  
-------------------------------------------------   
  
**Authors Notes:** Two chapters to go.... whatever....  
  
**Review Thank You's-**  
**Heart of the Phoenix:** I review 'cause you're a great writer! Where's your next chappy? I looked for it the other day but it wasn't there :(  
**Walking Through Shadows: **:P


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Darkness Dies

**Chapter Seventeen**   
  
The glow from the Sixteen brightened to a white so bright it was beginning to look blue, filling the air and diffusing through the chamber, exposing the vast room that had previously lain unseen.  
Pair by pair, each duel saves for Dumbledore and Voldemort stopped to watch the group.   
  
Harry was aware of everything and everybody around them in a dimmed sense, utterly surrounding him. Snippets from all of their memories invaded mixed with his own… Niko and Cirocco's older brothers teasing them, holding a toy broomstick over their heads, Stacey out with her friends shopping at a magical books store… Freda dancing with her boyfriend at a party, Alfred watching a Quidditch game with his young cousin, Hannah at a family Christmas party, a tiny Neville on his father's lap, Yesi talking to another Auror at the Ministry… Gabrielle walking with her mother, Justin doing homework in the school library, Susan at a sleepover a few summers ago… they came and went within seconds, each lasting only a few moments and all completely random.  
A booming voice echoed inside his head, and he knew it was in the others heads too; more than just hands joined them.  
_Death and its Darkness will end today, and Light will overcome._   
  
The light around them separated to form a vine, it circled around them, drawing another stem from each of them into the centre until it was one stream within the glow and rose upwards, bending towards Voldemort and zooming to him like the opposing side of a magnet.   
  
An unearthly screech wrenched itself from Voldemort's throat, his wand half raised as the Light went right through the half cast shield and into Voldemort.  
The screech turned defiant but the Light only grew brighter, infusing his every pore, flushing out the red slits.   
  
Harry squeezed an eye open to watch what he knew was happening. Every spell Voldemort ever cast on himself was coming undone, the work of every potion going to the pail.  
Voldemort was coming unwrapped.  
He was dying.  
Where the being once was, Light was slowly replacing it, obliterating each particle of darkness like a laser.  
The light reached a flash point of its own, so blinding it forced Harry to close the eye he'd opened, but he still heard the scream, and he knew he'd never forget it.  
It was the scream of someone doomed.  
Of someone being destroyed once and for all.   
  
Other screams joined it, though these were of pain, but Harry didn't know why.   
  
He didn't know anything for a long time.   
  
-------------------------------------------------   
  
**Authors Notes:** One chapter to go... i'll post it later in the week. I finished this fic now, it's just waiting to be uploaded :D  
  
**Review Thank You's-**  
**Heart Of The Phoenix:** I see you posted :D Good author! :D I was gonna say child but some people are offended when i say that g. Chills down your spine? I think my job here is done....   
**Charley4:** Heya! Well there it was! Very short but there wasn't much more to say lol!  
**Malfoy11717:** Hmmm, whatever gave you that impression? :P  
**calmhisteria:** Well hello there! I'm very happy you like! A few of the questions are answered by the end of the fic, there's Chapter 18 and an Epilogue left which are all typed and ready.. in fact i'll psot both tomorrow morning :D  
  



	18. Chapter Eighteen: Waking Up in the Hospi...

**Authors Notes:** And so, the end. Almost. Epilogue afterwards too!   
  
**Chapter Eighteen**   
  
Shifting in the uncomfortable chair -he swore they were made purposely like that to prevent people like him from getting comfy -Remus watched the ones that still slept after the battle.  
Neville, Hermione, Gabrielle, Justin, Susan and Stacey were the first to wake earlier in the morning and now sat talking quietly. It pleased Remus to see Neville not withdrawing every time somebody addressed him.  
The figure lying in bed on the left of Sirius' stirred.  
Harry was waking up, bleary eyes blinking sleepily finding his bearings.  
Remus handed him his glasses with a small smile,  
"How are you feeling, Harry?"   
  
He nodded his head and yawned,  
"Tired, Remus… is it over? For good?"  
Ever half asleep and groggy, Harry didn't forget what happened.  
Just like his father.  
  
"Almost, Voldemort is definitely gone for good, on the other hand his supporters aren't. Thankfully whatever that light was, it burned the 'mark into all the faithful Deatheaters arms but those like Snape who reformed," Remus shrugged, "somehow his has disappeared."   
  
"And the Order caught quite a few before they all fled, Harry," said Hermione coming to sit on the edge of his bed, "Wormtail was among the ones they caught, so was Crabbe Senior and Lucious Malfoy."   
  
A grin began to work its way over Harry's face, "The Ministry, do they know?"   
  
"Yes, Sirius is -"   
  
"Going to get a trial!"  
If people could float, Remus would hazard a guess that Harry would be hitting the ceiling right now.   
  
"Whas all the noise?" Ron croaked from across the room, hair imitating Harry's very well.  
The redhead was quickly filled in, as were Yesi, Alfred and Freda as they woke up until only the twins, Orion, Sirius and Hannah still slumbered -blissfully unaware of Hermione's now frantic worrying,   
  
"We've lost over a week of revision! Ron how can you roll your eyes at a time like this! And you Harry! We'll never be able to catch up!"   
  
"Is that a screech owl I hear?" Orion sat up on her elbows, raising her eyebrows, "Trying to reach the higher than human hearing range there, Hermione?"   
  
"Orion! Don't tell me you're not disturbed by the loss?"   
  
"What loss?"   
  
Remus took it upon himself to fill her in, "You've all been unconscious for eight days."   
  
"Wow. No wonder I need the loo! 'Scuse me."  
Jumping out the bed she padded past Sirius' bed with a long pause,  
"Is he really my dad?"  
Remus and Harry nodded.  
"Did he know about me?"  
This time they shook their heads.  
  
Once she was out of earshot Sirius sat up.  
A scraped laugh came out through a dry throat, "She's really my daughter, isn't she?"   
  
"You know the answer to that already, old friend." Remus chided, "You know she is. We have some good news."   
  
Orion heard the joyful yell from the toilet and returned to see Madam Pomfrey scowling at Remus for 'exciting' her patients.  
"Why the yelling?"   
  
"Oh no reason," Sirius was grinning madly, detracting from his words. Looking around, half the people present were in various stages of smiles and Orion felt one creeping over her own face even though she didn't know why. This was her father, her dad. The one she saw in her dreams… with her mother. "Orion, I'm your -"   
  
"I know." she interrupted, laughing. "Don't say it... too many Star Wars flashbacks.   
  
She laughed harder when all the wizard-born gave her confused looks.   
  
-------------------------------------------------   
  
**Authors Notes:** I'll probably need to re-write these last eight or so chapters, or write the sequel i've got planned.. dunno. I got a whole AU universe, MWPP-era's and sequels but i dunno. I'm writing another completely different one by myself as well as another even more different one with a friend, so we'll see how it goes :D  
  
Summary of the upcoming fic i'm writing:  
_Fags, theft and sleeping in bus shelters, exisled from the magical community, Harry Potter's Sixth Year will be more dangerous, more heartbreaking and far more revealing than any other._


	19. Epilogue: So this is our house?

**Authors Notes:** Last ever!   
  
**Epilogue**   
  
"So this is our house?"   
  
Sirius nodded, putting his arms around the two teenagers.   
  
"All of it?"   
  
"All of it, and the Manor, but I think that's a bit big for us."   
  
"You have two houses?"   
  
"Actually Black Manor is a mansion." Remus added helpfully, standing next to the trio.   
  
"Thanks for that, Moony."   
  
"Not at all, Padfoot."   
  
"So this is ours?" Harry asked again, still not quite believing it. A lot had happened in such a short amount of time he was afraid he'd wake up any second.   
  
"Yes Harry."   
  
Orion grinned, "So uh, do we get to pick our own rooms?"   
  
"Of course!"   
  
"Race you, Harry!"   
  
She took off, hurdling over the gate and sprinting to the front door with Harry close at her heels. With ease borne of Quidditch he dodge round her and squeezed through the doorway, throwing a "Beat you!" over his shoulder as he thundered along the hallway and up the stairs.   
  
"Hay no fair Harry! You've got longer legs than me!"   
  
"You got a head start!" He retorted, darting over the landing and poking his head through the first doorway.   
  
"Ooo this is a nice room." she breathed, sticking her head under his arm.  
It was a very nice room, there was a large bay window on the wall opposite a big four-poster bed, there was even a built in wardrobe, desk, book shelf and bedside table.  
"Bit modern for a wizard's house isn't it? The only thing missing is a telly." she noted,   
  
"Don't think we have electricity though,"   
  
"Shame. I really miss Friends, do you remember Friends?"   
  
"Not really, the Dursleys were never really big on letting me watch shows that I actually might like." he replied dryly, "Let's go see the others!"   
  
The next had two normal windows and the same bits and pieces as the last except the wardrobe wasn't built in; it was an ornately designed wooden one, with swirls on the doors and intricate designs along the top.   
  
All in all there were five bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs and Harry was enchanted with all of them but he knew which one he wanted -it was the fourth one they looked at and had only one window, but it took up half the wall and had a beautiful view of the garden and fields beyond. The bed, like all the others, was a big four poster like they had at Hogwarts, the carpet was plain off white -Sirius said they would colour them when they chose which room they wanted, just like they'd paint the walls (the Muggle way) when they decided on the colours -and the desk sat beneath the window, so he would be able to look outside during the day while doing his homework during the day, as in, when it was light. Something else he was not allowed to do at the Dursleys.   
  
Orion chose the last bedroom, which was next to Harry's but had a big bay window so she could sit and stare out at the sky while not doing her homework. She didn't know what colour to paint it though, or what colour to do the carpet. There were an awful lot to choose from, though green was now vaguely tainted in her eyes. Since that day when they all woke up in the Hospital Wing she read quite a bit about the thing that tried to kill them all. Voldemort was Slytherin; green was the colour of Slytherin.  
Red would be good though; Gryffindor rocked.   
  
Sirius relaxed into an overstuffed armchair, listening to Harry and Orion thunder about upstairs.   
  
"So are you having a house warming?" Remus asked eyebrows quirked upwards.   
  
"No," Sirius smirked, "We're having a party on Saturday night. Want to come, Moony?"   
  
Remus rolled his eyes and said dryly, "Thought you'd never ask".   
  
The noise from above stopped suddenly, causing Sirius to stiffen and glance to the ceiling, then Orion screamed, "Harry!" and he knew things were fine.   
  
"You need to relax, Padfoot, or your hair will be more grey than black before Christmas."   
  
Sobering, Sirius gave Remus a long look, "I'll just be happy if Wormtail has been given the Kiss by Christmas."   
  
"Well the trial is next week."   
  
"I know," the smirk returned in full force, "Say Moony, do you know how to cook?"   
  
-------------------------------------------------   
  
**Authors Notes:** Well that's it!   
  



End file.
